The chief commissioner of an inquiry into the Ruby Princess has probed New South Wales (NSW) Health for failing to follow established protocols when it allowed passengers off the ship before a number of COVID-19 test results were known.
On May 5, the inquiry heard from NSW Health epidemiologist and coordinator of NSW Health’s cruise ship health program Kelly-Anne Ressler. Ressler admitted it was unacceptable that more people on the ship did not get tested for COVID-19.
“All I can say is that I’m very sorry it turned out the way it did. It was not our intention,” said Ressler.
“Myself and my colleagues at the public health unit were working very hard on this. We did what we could. And if we could do it again, it would be very different,” Ressler said while crying.
According to the inquiry, NSW Health had assessed the Ruby Princess as “low risk” for COVID-19 infections.
“[Health workers] have been working day and night for months and months and months,” Morrison said. “They’re all trying to do their best.”
Speaking about the Ruby Princess incident on the Nine’s Today program that same day, NSW Premier Gladys Berejiklian said, “There’s no doubt that horrible mistakes were made and that a number of authorities should have done better.”
Newmarch Nursing Home Outbreak
Sixteen people have also died in Sydney from an outbreak at Anglicare’s Newmarch House nursing home.The federal Aged Care Quality and Safety Commission has been working with Newmarch House since the beginning of the outbreak to monitor and support it to meet its obligations as a provider.
The Australian also reported that a neighbour of Newmarch House revealed that disused and potentially infected personal protective equipment from the centre was found in his yard. It took “two days” for Anglicare to remove it.
The inquiry into the Ruby Princess is ongoing.