Konstantin Kontis and Vicky Kos, the most senior managers at Melbourne's St Basil's aged care home during a deadly 2020 Covid-19 outbreak, testified at a coronial inquest after failing in multiple legal attempts to avoid giving evidence.
Key facts
- Almost a quarter of the 188 residents at St Basil's aged care home died in July and August 2020.
- Fifty residents died from Covid-19 or neglect during the outbreak.
- Senior managers Konstantin Kontis and Vicky Kos were compelled to testify at a coronial inquest.
- The pair made multiple failed legal bids to avoid giving evidence.
- The inquest resumed on the sixth anniversary of the tragedy in Melbourne's coroner's court.
Grieving families gathered in Melbourne’s coroner’s court to finally hear testimony from the two most senior managers at St Basil’s aged care home, where a devastating Covid-19 outbreak in 2020 claimed the lives of 50 residents, according to the Guardian.
Konstantin Kontis and Vicky Kos, who held the most senior management roles during the outbreak, were compelled to give evidence at a coronial inquest. Their testimony came after multiple failed legal bids to avoid appearing before the court.
Throughout July and August 2020, almost a quarter of the 188 residents at the Victorian aged care home died from Covid-19 or neglect, the Guardian reported.
The inquest resumed on the sixth anniversary of the tragedy. Quiet sobs could be heard in the courtroom as several families attended to hear from the pair.
The Guardian noted that while the senior managers could not remember all of the events, grieving loved ones cannot forget what happened at the home.
Why it matters
The St Basil's outbreak was one of the deadliest aged care tragedies during Australia's Covid-19 pandemic, and the coronial inquest seeks accountability for how so many vulnerable residents came to die. For families, the long-delayed testimony represents a rare chance for answers six years on.
Frequently asked questions
How many people died in the St Basil's outbreak?
Fifty residents died from Covid-19 or neglect during the outbreak in July and August 2020, representing almost a quarter of the home's 188 residents, according to the Guardian.
Who are Konstantin Kontis and Vicky Kos?
They were the most senior managers at St Basil's aged care home during the 2020 outbreak and were compelled to testify at the coronial inquest after multiple failed legal bids to avoid giving evidence.
When did the inquest resume?
According to the Guardian, the coronial inquest resumed on the sixth anniversary of the tragedy in Melbourne's coroner's court.