VICTORIA’S Premier Daniel Andrews returned home on Monday after six days in hospital following a fall on slippery stairs the previous week.
At around 6.30am last Tuesday, Mr Andrews fell heavily on wooden steps at the front of a rental beach house that his family had been staying at for the long weekend.
He landed flat on his back and hit the steps directly below the shoulder blades, fracturing at least five ribs and sustaining an acute compression fracture of the T7 vertebra, narrowly avoiding permanent damage to his spinal cord.
“It’s been a long, painful and difficult week,” Mr Andrews said on Monday.
Mr Andrews will be off work for at least six weeks while he recovers.
Deputy Premier James Merlino has stepped into the role of Acting Premier.
“I want to make special mention of the Ambulance Victoria paramedics, the entire team of staff at Peninsula Private and Alfred Health from trauma specialists to spinal surgeons, cooks and cleaners and everyone in between,” Mr Andrews said.
“I’m grateful to be a Victorian patient and proud of our Victorian health system.”
