A COVID-19 outbreak on the maternity ward and in the neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) at the John Hunter Hospital complex in Newcastle has grown to six cases, Hunter New England Health has confirmed.
Dr Paul Craven, medical controller for HNE Health's COVID response, said in a statement that all the positive cases were parents of newborns.
All the babies receiving neonatal intensive care had been tested a number of times over the past few days and all had returned negative results, he said.
The outbreak began four days ago when the mother of a newborn, who was a patient on the maternity ward at the hospital, informed staff that she was suffering respiratory symptoms.
Dr Craven said the patient was immediately isolated and subsequently tested positive for COVID.
Following her diagnosis, close and casual contacts on the maternity ward and in the neonatal ICU at John Hunter Children's Hospital, where her baby is being cared for, were immediately contacted, tested and told to isolate. This included parents and staff.
"All staff were wearing PPE while caring for these families and have to date all tested negative."
So far, no babies are affected
The babies in the neonatal ICU have been assessed as a low-risk for exposure, however Dr Craven said they had been tested multiple times and all had returned negative results.
Dr Craven said parents who were isolating had access to the NICU's NICView camera system, which allowed them to log on and see their baby 24-hours-a-day.
Parents who are unaffected are able to continue visiting the unit to spend time with their babies.
