Bodies removed from corona-ravaged care home in Melbourne as 800 are infected in retirement facilities across city

SHOCKING pictures have emerged of bodies being removed from a coronavirus-ravaged care home in Melbourne.

There are now 804 infected in retirement facilities as the outbreak in the city grows worse.

Images of elderly people being removed by medical staff in body bags exposed the extent of the crisis.

Other photos show older residents in masks as they are led to ambulances by medics.

The pictures emphasise Melbourne's growing emergency, with the virus now entering care homes and attacking the most vulnerable.

In Victoria alone, 81 care homes reported positive cases of the virus.

The federal government is sending a specialist medical team into Melbourne's retirement facilities to fend off Covid-19.

Federal Health Minister Greg Hunt announced on Tuesday that the Australian Medical Assistance Team, specially trained in handling humanitarian disasters, would be sent to Victoria.

He said: "They are the best of the best, they are the SAS of the medical world.

The specialist team will join nurses from Victoria, New South Wales and South Australia in protecting Melbourne's aged care homes.

An extra five million masks and 500,000 face shields will also be given to workers after the explosion of active Covid-19 cases.

On Wednesday, seven of Victoria's nine deaths were linked to outbreaks in aged care, bringing the state's coronavirus death toll to 92.

There were also 295 new Covid-19 infections announced on Wednesday to add to Victoria's 4,849 active cases.     

Deputy Chief Medical Officer Nick Coatsworth said the care homes were struggling to cope.

He said: "No business in Australia has a business continuity plan that accounts for their entire workforce not being able to go to work.

"I think in a lot of ways that has led some of the most affected institutions to where they are now."

The Victorian Aged Care Response Centre, set up by the government on Saturday, has begun to co-ordinate staff and transfer residents to hospitals. 

About 170 aged care residents have been evacuated from their homes and dozens more are expected to follow in the coming days. 

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