Staff member at Melbourne asylum seeker hotel tests positive to COVID-19 – Sydney Morning Herald

“After discussions with Victorian Department of Health and Human Services, specifically their Public Health Unit, the risk of infection to other staff and detainees is considered low,” the spokesperson said.
“No other staff or detainees have shown symptoms or tested positive to COVID-19.”
The spokesperson said the hotel had undergone a deep clean.
A refugee being held at the hotel, Mostafa Azimitabar, said detainees were told on Sunday evening that the infected staff member was stationed in a hallway guarding an elevator.
“Everyone is panicked,” he said. “Sooner or later, everyone will catch the virus.”
He said the authorities did not have any plan in place for infection control at the hotel and that hand sanitiser dispensers at the facility were empty.
“The guards are bringing the coronavirus inside,” he said. “We are not children, we know how to wash our hands and practice social distancing.
“The problem is that they are coming into our rooms several times a day, they bring food and they do not practice social distancing because it is impossible in this small place.”
Mr Azimitabar, who has asthma, said he was worried he would be at high risk of complications if he was infected by coronavirus.
“I feel that if I catch it I will die,” he said.
Kurdish man Farhad Bandesh, a detainee at the Melbourne Immigration Transit Accommodation (MITA) centre in Broadmeadows, said detainees there were also informed of the diagnosis on Sunday evening.
He said detainees were told the employee had not worked at MITA for a long time.
Federal Labor local member Ged Kearney said the men at Mantra should have been released during the pandemic to minimise the risk.
“We warned the Morrison government about the risk of COVID spreading in places of detention months ago. They could have moved the men into the community to minimise the risk. They did not,” Ms Kearney said in a statement on Monday.
“These men are my constituents, some are my friends and Im furious the government has let this happen.
“The government now needs to be forthright about the risk of coronavirus spreading and plan with the detainees about how best to prevent this, including testing those who want to get tested.”
Chief Health Officer Brett Sutton on Monday said he was aware of the case at Mantra, but said the staff member had not worked while infectious.
“There’s refugees held in that facility, they’re a significantly vulnerable population,” Professor Sutton said.
“But my understanding is there’s been a significant clean of that facility, and that the worker who has been identified hasn’t been infectious at the workplace.”
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Craig Butt joined The Age in 2011 and specialises in data-driven journalism.
Rachel is a city reporter for The Age.

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