Several staff and patients at Liverpool Hospital in Sydney's south-west have tested positive for COVID-19 over the past week, a South Western Sydney Local Health District (SWSLHD) spokesperson has confirmed.
The spokesperson said 24 patients and five staff members had been infected in six separate exposure events at the hospital across several wards.
Contact tracing is taking place to identify the source of the following infections.
- Thirteen patients and two staff members in the orthopaedics ward
- Two patients and one staff member in the renal ward
- Three patients and one staff member in the neurology ward
- Five patients in the geriatrics ward
- One patient in the cardiothoracic ward
- One nurse in the Intensive Care Unit (ICU)
No other ICU staff had so far been identified as close contacts, with those infected fully vaccinated, SWSLHD said.
"All staff members who have tested positive for COVID-19 are fully vaccinated," the spokesperson said.
"Ninety-seven per cent of Liverpool Hospital's staff have received at least one dose of COVID-19 vaccine/are fully vaccinated."
COVID-positive patients are currently in isolation and "receiving appropriate care".
In early August, Liverpool Hospital was the site of another outbreak after a partially vaccinated student nurse tested positive for the virus
At the time, the infection quickly spread to patients and other nurses working in the geriatric and vascular wards.
More than 10 deaths have been linked to that cluster.
The hospital is following strict infection control guidelines which include regular testing of staff and the use of personal protective equipment, SWSLHD said.
There were 1,035 new locally acquired cases in NSW in the 24 hours to 8:00pm on Tuesday night and five deaths.
There are currently 1,232 people in hospital with COVID-19, with 242 of these in intensive care and 122 of whom require ventilation.
