Centre for Population Health

Our Public Health Unit (PHU) provides support and advice to residential aged care facilities (RACFs) located in Western Sydney on various aspects of disease and outbreak management.

• Under the NSW Public Health Act, residential aged care facilities are legally required to notify suspected outbreaks of respiratory or gastrointestinal illness to their local PHU.
• Residential aged care facilities should contact the PHU as soon as possible if they suspect an outbreak:
  • An acute respiratory illness (ARI) outbreak is defined as two or more cases of COVID-19, influenza or respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) during a 72-hour period.
  • A gastrointestinal illness outbreak is defined as two or more people with sudden onset of diarrhoea or vomiting at any one time.

Useful links

COVID-19

• Guidance for Residential Aged Care Facilities on the public health management of Acute Respiratory Infections (including COVID-19, Influenza and Respiratory Syncytial Virus) (NSW Health)
• National Guidelines for the prevention, control and public health management of outbreaks of acute respiratory infection (including COVID-19 and influenza) in residential care facilities

Gastroenteritis illnesses

• NSW Gastro Pack for Hospitals and Aged Care Facilities (NSW Health)
• Control guideline for gastroenteritis in an institution (NSW Health)
• Infection control implications for hospitals and aged care facilities (viral gastroenteritis) (NSW Health)