A Riverina aged care home has been locked down amid a COVID-19 outbreak that has seen almost a dozen people test positive for the virus.
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Narrandera's Teloca House is closed to almost all visitors in the wake of the cases, RSL LifeCare, which operates the facility, confirmed late on Thursday.
Six residents and five staff members have been struck down by the virus, a spokesperson said, and put to bed rumours of a COVID-related death at the facility.
They confirmed the sad loss of a palliative care resident who passed away on Thursday morning.
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"The situation at Teloca is evolving daily," a spokesperson said.
"The current lockdown is to ensure the following few days' tests are completed and received.
"While the home is technically in lockdown, visits are allowed according to the industry visitor code."
That code has been amended during the pandemic to permit residents in aged care facilities to receive at least one visitor at all times, regardless of outbreaks.
Increased measures have been implemented at Teloca House, including furloughing of staff who have previously tested positive until they are asymptomatic, discouraging members of the community from frequenting the facility and updates to family members of residents being delivered twice a week.
"We are meeting regularly with health authorities, testing of all staff before every shifts is in progress, and all visitors are getting RAT tested on arrival," the spokesperson said.
The NSW Department of Health, Murrumbidgee Local Health District, Aged Care Quality and Safety Commission and the Public Health Unit have been notified, RSL LifeCare said.
Essential visitors, such as partners-in-care or named visitors, are still permitted in aged care facilities during the management of an outbreak or exposure, according to the federal health department.
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