Update
Eighty St George Hospital healthcare staff have been placed into isolation as a result of the COVID-19 cluster in the hospital's oncology ward.
A South Eastern Sydney Local Health District (SESLHD) spokeswoman today confirmed the cluster, in an oncology ward at St George Hospital, had affected two staff members and four patients.
NSW Health Minister Brad Hazzard has divulged further details about the cluster at today's COVID-19 press conference, including that a cancer patient was the first to develop symptoms.
He said the infected staff members were a junior medical officer and a nurse unit manager.
SESLHD previously said both staff members had received two doses of the vaccine.
Mr Hazzard said the flow on effect of the cases had meant 80 hospital staff had been forced into isolation.
He said there was "absolutely no question that the hospital system is under enormous pressure across NSW", which was why they had to ease back less-urgent elective surgery.
"If you take a look at the St George situation, that was a case where we had a long-term cancer patient who became symptomatic and was tested positive for COVID," he said.
"That caused further testing of patients in that ward. The person that was in the room with that particular patient was also positive and another two cases across the ward.
"And there was a nurse unit manager and a junior medical officer who were also positive.
"The result of that, in just that one fairly small case, has taken out 80 health staff for the 14 days quarantine."
Earlier
There are fears a COVID-19 cluster affecting six staff and patients in the oncology ward at St George Hospital could grow.
NSW Health has confirmed two staff and four patients have so far tested positive to the virus. All 21 patients of the ward are considered close contacts and are in isolation.
The two staff were said to be fully vaccinated while three of the patients had received one dose of vaccine and the fourth was unvaccinated.
The ward has been closed to new admissions.
There is particular concern about the cluster because cancer treatment can lower a patient's immunity to infections.
The Leader has asked NSW Health and South Eastern Sydney Local Health District to advise when the first case was detected, and when infected staff members worked at the hospital.
A South Eastern Sydney Local Health District spokeswoman said its Public Health Unit was working with St George Hospital after staff and patients had tested positive to COVID-19.
"Four inpatients and two staff members have tested positive for COVID-19," she said.
"The patients were on oncology ward 7A. All 21 patients on the oncology ward have been tested and in isolation since the first patient tested positive.
"The two staff members who tested positive are both fully vaccinated.
"Three patients have had one dose of the vaccine. One patient has not been vaccinated.
"All patients and staff who were possibly exposed to COVID-19 have been notified as part of the contact tracing process.
"The hospital is contacting patients who were on those wards at the same time that other patients may have been infectious and asking them to get tested and isolate."
The spokeswoman said additional infection control procedures had been implemented on the ward "to maintain the health and safety of patients".
"The hospital is contacting patients who were on those wards at the same time that other patients may have been infectious and asking them to get tested and isolate," she said. "Staff working on those wards are also being contacted and assessed."
The hospital is located in the heart of Kogarah, within the Georges River Local Government Area, which has seen a spike in COVID-19 cases in recent weeks and has been subject to greater restrictions, while Kogarah itself was singled out by NSW Chief Health Officer Kerry Chant on at least two occasions in recent weeks as a suburb of concern.
Many of the hospital's staff live in the LGA or neighbouring areas, including Bayside and Canterbury-Bankstown, where COVID cases are also high.
The Leader has asked NSW Health and South Eastern Sydney Local Health District to advise when the first case was detected, and when infected staff members worked at the hospital.
It is the second known case of COVID-19 affecting staff at the hospital.
Last March, at the start of the pandemic, a midwife in its maternity ward tested positive to COVID-19.
At the time, health authorities confirmed the case and said the midwife was isolating, but refused to disclose if she passed on the virus to anyone else, citing "privacy".
