<div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>A </span><a href="https://www.9news.com.au/aged-care" rel="" target="" title="nursing home"><span>nursing home</span></a><span> where almost half of its residents died after contracting</span><a href="https://www.9news.com.au/coronavirus" rel="" target="" title=" COVID-19"><span> COVID-19</span></a><span> during the height of the pandemic has been convicted and fined over five years after the tragedy.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>St Basil's Home for the Aged was sentenced in the Victorian County Court today over one of the deadliest nursing home outbreaks in 2020.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>Forty-five residents became infected with the disease and died from virus-related complications within one month.</span></div></div><div><div id="adspot-mobile-medium"></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><strong><span>READ MORE: </span></strong><a href="https://www.9news.com.au/national/super-k-flu-mutated-influenza-a-lower-vaccine-effectiveness-could-see-another-horror-influenza-season/476ec606-718e-4b60-a464-df4ae380d26f" target="_blank"><strong><span>Fears Australia could see another record flu season as 'Super-K' spreads</span></strong></a></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>Judge Trevor Wraight convicted St Basil's and fined it $150,000, saying the operator was well aware of the COVID-19 outbreak but failed to enforce all measures required to maintain a safe workplace.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>"Here, there were weaknesses in the system, where five staff did not receive training, giving rise to the identified risks," he said.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>The home was not charged or sentenced over the residents' deaths, rather for the breach of workplace health and safety responsibilities.</span></div></div><div><div class="OUTBRAIN" data-reactroot="" data-src="//www.9news.com.au/national/fine-for-nursing-home-after-residents-died-during-covid/a173253d-22a8-4199-9581-0f516c320d0d" data-widget-id="AR_5"></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>WorkSafe had initially brought nine counts of breaching occupational health and safety legislation but dropped eight after the aged care provider pleaded guilty to one charge.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>St Basil's admitted it failed to properly train and supervise five workers on how to properly don and take off personal protective equipment between March 13 and July 12, 2020.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><strong><span>READ MORE: </span></strong><a href="https://www.9news.com.au/national/debbie-kristenson-mother-ashes-missing-sydney/91eb63fb-a32e-4623-a46c-99034287bb28" target="_blank"><strong><span>Australian family left shattered after package containing mother's ashes is cruelly swiped from doorstep</span></strong></a></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>The organisation had engaged external doctors to train staff over five sessions, but five members did not receive training.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>There were 92 residents and 106 workers at the home at the time. As well as the 45 resident deaths, 45 employees also contracted COVID-19.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>Judge Wraight acknowledged the prolonged criminal process, which has lasted for more than five years, and heavy media scrutiny as mitigating factors in his sentencing decision</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>He also acknowledged St Basil's has since upgraded its systems and procedures in preparation for future disease outbreaks.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>The maximum penalty the aged care home could have received was $1.4 million.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>A coroner is separately investigating the St Basil's deaths, but the inquest had been put on hold pending the outcome of the criminal case.</span></div></div>