At least five aged care facilities on the North West Coast of Tasmania are in lockdown following outbreaks of influenza. The affected nursing homes have restricted visitor access and isolated residents diagnosed with the ‘flu or showing ‘flu-like symptoms. Emmerton Park in Smithton has been in lockdown since Friday morning and has reported five confirmed cases. Director of care Christine Hyde said family members were welcome to phone or Skype with residents and staff were doing one-on-one activities with isolated residents. Chief executive of OneCare, Norm Mcilfatrick, said Rubicon Grove in Port Sorell and Umina Park in Burnie remained under lockdown. Meercroft Care in Devonport went into lockdown on Monday September 11 after two cases were confirmed. Mount St Vincent in Ulverstone restricted access to visitors and community clients from last Friday after four cases of influenza were confirmed. Baptcare Karingal Community in Devonport has reported a number of patients with influenza to Public Health Tasmania and have “increased infection control measures” in place. Eliza Purton Home in Ulverstone, operated by Respect Aged Care (formerly Island Care), came out of lockdown on Sunday after four cases of influenza were detected. For the year to September 1, there were 1759 cases of influenza from Tasmania reported to the National Notifiable Diseases Surveillance System.
