A COVID outbreak has been declared at the Chatham-Kent Health Alliance.
Officials say one staff member and a patient on the COVID unit have tested positive. CKHA CEO Lori Marshall says the patient was previously a suspected COVID case who has now been confirmed positive.
The following is part of a written statement released by CKHA this morning:
“As part of CKHA’s pandemic response action plan and in alignment with the hospital’s infection prevention and control guidelines, a number of initiatives have been implemented in response to the outbreak. We will continue following these measures until the Medical Officer of Health for Chatham-Kent Public Health rescinds the outbreak order.
Impacted staff are all isolating at home and working closely with CK Public Health for the contact tracing process. CK Public Health contacts staff who have been exposed and informs them of appropriate measures to take.
CKHA continues to monitor patients for symptoms of COVID-19. Any patient who develops symptoms suggestive of COVID-19 while in hospital will be isolated and tested.
We are confident we are able to get this outbreak under control, as we have put proper measures in place and continue to work closely with CK Public Health. We thank them for their ongoing support as we work together to keep our patients and families safe.”
Chief Medical Officer Dr. David Colby stresses the outbreak is confined to the COVID unit, and in no way affects the overall safety of the hospital.
Meantime, five more cases have been identified at Fairfield Park in Wallaceburg, bringing the total number of infections at the long term care facility to 28.
The total number of active cases of the virus has grown to 110 across the municipality with 19 new cases being reported today.
One more person has died from the virus in Windsor-Essex, but the region’s Health Unit is reporting just 53 new cases today.
Lambton County’s numbers have inched up slightly with 17 new infections today. That brings the total active caseload to 104.
Province-wide, the Ministry of Health is reporting 2093 new cases today and another 56 deaths linked to the virus.
