Ms Anderson said it also requires Japara to take a number of immediate actions including appointing an independent adviser, conducting daily meetings with the commission and regularly communicating with families.

“The notice was issued based on escalating concerns about the seriousness of the outbreak at the service, the provider’s response, and complaints from consumers and families about the information available to them and the safety and quality of care at the service,” she said.

A Japara spokesperson said it was fully complying with the notice and had never shifted from its steadfast responsibilities to protect its residents and staff's health and safety.

“We continue to work closely with the state and federal governments, the surge workforce, Australian Defence Force nurses, Australian Medical Assistance Teams, the Aged Care Quality and Safety Commission and Western Health in caring for our residents,” the spokesperson said.

The Age reported on Tuesday that Gio Braidotti, whose father and mother were residents at Japara Goonawarra, had raised concerns with the Aged Care Quality and Safety Commission, her local MP, and Aged Care Matters director Sarah Russell.

“Currently, the negative and positives continue to live within the same facility, with overstretched staff providing care for both the infected and uninfected while suited up in PPE [personal protective equipment],” she wrote in an email to Dr Russell on August 7.

Ms Braidotti’s father Mario died of COVID-19 on August 13 and the family now faces an agonising wait to see whether their mother, who was housed in the same wing as COVID-19 positive residents, will also test positive.

A spokesperson for Federal Age Care Minister Richard Colbeck said in order to reduce or stop the spread of COVID-19 at an aged care service, the Public Health Unit recommended cohorting infected and non-infected residents into specific zones and having dedicated staff for each zone.

A Japara spokesperson said this week it was working to separate residents into negative and positive care areas.

“We have the one wing where we are trying to cohort as many negative residents as we can,” the spokesperson said. “This area was the one wing at the home where we had no COVID positive residents at the outset, though we are still within the 14-day incubation period. All other wings have positive and negative residents.”

Asked if the staff were quarantined so they only worked with COVID-19 positive or negative residents, the spokesperson said: “No, due to the depleted workforce, staff are required to support the residents across the facility and all are wearing full PPE.”

The spokesperson said residents were cared for in their rooms and the lockdown procedures ensured minimal contact. She said all food and beverages were in residents’ rooms and there were no combined activities.

Ms Anderson said the commission first became aware of the COVID-19 outbreak at Japara Goonawarra Aged Care Facility on August 2.

“The service is being supported by the Victorian Aged Care Response Centre which includes representatives from the Commonwealth Department of Health, the Victorian Department of Health and Human Services, and the commission, among others,” she said.

“Working alongside other agencies, we have been focused on monitoring and supporting the provider’s efforts both to manage the outbreak at Japara Goonawarra and to respond to residents’ and relatives’ complaints and concerns.”

The Victorian Department of Health and Human Services said Australian Medical Assistance Teams (AUSMAT) had visited Japara Goonawarra a number of times to review cohorting, infection control and PPE practices.

Six Australian Defence Force nurses were now working at the Sunbury nursing home and Western Health staff were also providing assistance. Personnel from South Australia had been brought in since August 10.