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Canberra Today 24°/27° | Friday, March 29, 2024 | Digital Edition | Crossword & Sudoku

Canberra ICU nurse tests positive for COVID-19

Acting ACT chief health officer Dr Vanessa Johnston

AN intensive care nurse from Canberra Hospital tested positive for COVID-19 this morning (April 9).

While the case is still under investigation, acting ACT chief health officer Dr Vanessa Johnston said it’s it is likely the individual was exposed to COVID-19 through a close household contact, who had recently returned from overseas. 

Dr Johnston said she believes the nurse had minimal interaction with other staff while infectious, however, a small number of staff with need to go into self-quarantine today.

“Our investigation suggests that the only patient that this individual came into contact with during this infectious period was already confirmed with COVID-19, and therefore was not at risk of being reinfected,” she said. 

Canberra Health Services CEO Bernadette McDonald said while the staff member had been caring for someone with COVID-19, it is less likely they caught COVID-19 from this patient. 

The nurse was tested after developing fairly mild symptoms, and the case was confirmed after the ACT Health reporting deadline so the number will be officially recorded in tomorrow’s numbers. This case will bring the confirmed number of Canberra virus cases to 101.

The close household contact is getting tested, too.

 

 

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