Two deaths linked to fungus cluster at Sydney hospital

Two people have died and another four have fallen seriously ill as a result of a fungus cluster linked to construction work at one of Sydney’s largest hospitals.

Royal Prince Alfred (RPA) Hospital in Camperdown is investigating a cluster of fungal infections in patients receiving treatment at its transplant unit between October and December.

The cluster included six patients. Two of these patients died with the infection.

“SLHD [Sydney Local Health District] extends its deepest condolences to the families of the patients who died at Royal Prince Alfred Hospital and acknowledges the impact on all patients and families,” a hospital spokesman said in a statement to this masthead.

The cause of the infections, Aspergillus, is a common mould found in soil, plants and damp environments. Digging and construction works can disturb deposits of the mould, causing airborne spores.

Most Aspergillus strains are harmless, but a few can cause serious illness when their spores are inhaled. This is most dangerous for people with lung disease, asthma, and compromised immune systems.

The health district launched an investigation when it discovered an unexpected increase in the number of fungal infections among the hospital’s transplant patients.

“Even before the full extent of the cluster was known, multiple actions were undertaken as quickly as possible, beginning with an investigation by infectious diseases clinicians,” the spokesman said.

“Aspergillus can occur in many environments, which could include construction sites.”

Patients from the transplant unit were moved to another ward in the hospital while a remediation team performed a deep clean, upgraded the air filtration system, and conducted air quality testing.

Clinicians alerted patients on the ward and vulnerable outpatients to the cluster. None of the outpatients who were contacted reported symptoms of infection.

Some patients received antifungal medication as a precautionary measure.

No elevated levels of Aspergillus were recorded on the transplant ward after remedial works were completed. An advisory panel led by NSW Chief Health Officer Dr Kerry Chant deemed the ward safe to reopen earlier this month.

Construction on RPA’s $940 million redevelopment began in 2023 and is due to be finished by 2029. The hospital’s transplant ward is close to the works.

NSW Health would work with the building’s contractors to implement any findings from the investigation, the hospital’s spokesman said.

Staff and patients at Calvary Mater Newcastle Hospital last year learnt air-conditioning ducts at the facility were riddled with Aspergillus and needed to be replaced.

Lawyers are seeking loved ones of patients who died on the hospital’s cancer wards between January 2024 and April 2025 to participate in a potential class action.

A serious fungal cluster at Prince Charles Hospital in Brisbane in 2023 also resulted in the deaths of two heart transplant recipients.

Transplant Australia chief executive Chris Thomas said the charity, which advocates for people who have received or are waiting for transplants, was deeply concerned by the deaths.

Thomas said it was time to ask whether hospitals were doing enough to keep people with low immune systems safe.

“The impact of these deaths on the families – and no doubt treating staff who excel in providing transplantation services – will be felt deeply,” Thomas said.

“We need to know safeguards are now in place and lessons are being learned to ensure these clusters are not repeated in transplant units across Australia in the future.”

RPA pioneered kidney transplantation in Australia in the 1960s. Its national liver transplantation has performed more than 2000 adult and paediatric transplants each year since its launch in 1986.

“Thousands of Australians have received life-saving transplants through RPA,” Thomas said.

Opposition health spokeswoman Sarah Mitchell said Health Minister Ryan Park must explain why the public wasn’t informed about the cluster months ago.

“The fact that the government is only now being transparent about multiple deaths and serious illnesses linked to a fungal outbreak at a major Sydney hospital is completely unacceptable,” Mitchell said.

“Patients go to hospital to get better, not to be exposed to life-threatening infections.”

Park said the hospital acted swiftly and comprehensively to identify the potential cause of the cluster and prevent further cases.

“I extend my deepest condolences to the families of the two patients whose deaths are being investigated,” he said.

The Morning Edition newsletter is our guide to the day’s most important and interesting stories, analysis and insights. Sign up here.