The former WA president of the Australian Medical Association says he is “staggered” that breaches in COVID-19 protocols are still being identified.

Yesterday WA Country Health admitted there was a serious failure in it’s protocols,  which led to a health worker entering a lift – straight after a COVID-19 positive patient was in it and before it could be cleaned.

The patient was a sailor on the MV Emerald Indah bulk carrier, and was taken to Geraldton Hospital on the weekend, before eventually being transported to Perth.

50 people that were in the Geraldton emergency department have been deemed casual contacts, while the health worker is now isolating at home.

Speaking with 6PR’s Gary Adshead, Dr Andrew Miller said it’s unacceptable that these breaches are still happening more than 17 months into the pandemic.

“I’m in despair really at the lack of preparation at the WA Country Health Service,” he said.

“It staggers me that they have not yet put in place, in their emergency departments, fairly simple negative pressure cubicles to look after people with COVID.

“They are not giving people the fresh air they need in these facilities, because we know this is an airborne spread disease.

“The bureaucracy of the Western Australia Country Health Service have not prepared these facilities and there processes adequately to protect the community despite all the time that they have had.

“If we had to play a real game, rather than just mess around with one case, then Western Australia’s health system will collapse.”

Press PLAY to hear Dr Miller’s comments in full