Advertisement

Coronavirus claims its third Australian victim

The Dorothy Henderson Lodge in Sydney's Macquarie Park has now lost six residents to the virus.

The Dorothy Henderson Lodge in Sydney's Macquarie Park has now lost six residents to the virus. Photo: ABC

A NSW man in his 80s has died after contracting coronavirus in his Sydney aged care home, taking the nationwide death toll to three.

The 82-year-old was on Wednesday confirmed to have COVID-19 after he picked up the virus from an infected aged care worker in her 50s at BaptistCare’s Dorothy Henderson Lodge in Macquarie Park.

He died overnight in hospital, chief health officer Dr Kerry Chant said.

The man’s death follows that of a 95-year-old woman and fellow Dorothy Henderson Lodge resident, and a 78-year-old man in Perth.

More than 70 Australians have tested positive to the coronavirus, with figures expected to continue climbing across the country.

An extra 260,000 masks will be immediately released from the federal stockpile to primary health networks, deputy chief medical officer Paul Kelly said.

“We realised that personal protective equipment for our healthcare workforce and our aged care workforce is absolutely fundamental. We need to make sure that they are kept safe,” Professor Kelly said on Saturday.

-AAP

Stay informed, daily
A FREE subscription to The New Daily arrives every morning and evening.
The New Daily is a trusted source of national news and information and is provided free for all Australians. Read our editorial charter
Copyright © 2024 The New Daily.
All rights reserved.