Greg Hunt (Flinders, Liberal Party, Minister for Health) Share this | Hansard source

I want to thank the member for Moore in particular for his focus on the Joondalup hospital but also for his focus on aged-care facilities and residents within his electorate. We know that around the world the coronavirus continues to spread. We now have over 95,000 people who have been infected and over 3,250 who have, sadly, lost their lives. Eighty countries have now been touched directly by the virus and all are making preparations in different ways, shapes and forms. One area that is of particular concern to all, of course, is the elderly because of their vulnerability, because of the fact that this virus has an impact on their susceptibility. This has been our top priority, as agreed with the Prime Minister and the national security committee.

As part of that, right from the outset we have worked to take steps to protect facilities and to work with the aged-care sector. In particular, we saw on 31 January, early in February and then later in February direct communications with the whole of the sector as well as specific and ongoing communication with particular facilities and providers. This week we wrote directly to the sector on Monday. Again a fact sheet is being issued on actions and procedures in line with what happens in flu season but particularly for aged-care facilities with regard to coronavirus. Tomorrow the Chief Medical Officer will be leading a planning workshop with the aged-care sector to make sure that all issues in relation to workforce, residents and others are being taken care of.

We know that, sadly, in New South Wales the BaptistCare facility in Macquarie Park had a staff member who was infected. In turn, 14 residents have been in contact with that staff member, and two have been directly infected. One has, sadly, lost their life. I indicated that this may be the case, and that has now been confirmed. She was a 95-year-old woman. That means Australia has now lost two citizens, both elderly, to the coronavirus. So it remains our absolute top priority to protect and support older Australians.

I want to thank NSW Health for their actions in following the plan. When the need was stood up, they were able to move in to provide the support to assist and to make sure that isolation was occurring as has been agreed, as was planned and as was proposed. And the situation as regards to flu has not just been replicated in relation to coronavirus; stronger, further steps have been taken. I want to thank everybody and say we are working— (Time expired)

See this speech in context