As we mark five years since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic, there are many grim statistics, but one positive statistic for residential aged care should be recognised.
In the five years of the pandemic, there were 867 aged care homes that managed to avoid any deaths from COVID-19 or nearly one third of all aged care homes in Australia, according to data provided by the Department of Health and Aged Care.
The achievement is significant considering there have been more than 25,000 outbreaks recorded in Australian aged care homes during the last five years.
Nearly half of the homes that managed to avoid deaths from COVID-19 were in metropolitan areas, where 60% of homes in Australia are located.
Over the course of the COVID pandemic, 7,332 aged care residents have died from the virus. In the week to 13 March 2025, another seven residents died and 113 homes were experiencing a COVID-19 outbreak. More than 500 residents had the virus.
With the effects of the virus still being felt today, the Department of Health and Aged Care earlier this month extended to $1.1 million its contract with Aspen Medical for 'Rapid Deployment of Non-COVID-19 Related Surge Workforce Support to Residential Aged Care Homes'.
COVID-19 data is self-reported to the Department.
