With a COVID-19 outbreak declared at Timmins and District Hospital, president and CEO Blaise MacNeil said it's not confirmed if the patient acquired the virus at the hospital.
The outbreak at the facility was announced yesterday after a woman in her 80s who's a patient at the hospital tested positive. The Porcupine Health Unit said the investigation into the case is ongoing.
“At this moment it is not confirmed if the individual acquired the virus while in hospital, but the decision to declare an outbreak was made in consultation with the health unit and is being done out of an abundance of caution and all patients and staff will be contact-traced,” said MacNeil in today's daily health table update.
He said enhanced screening measures at the hospital resulted in staff quickly identifying the change in her symptoms.
"The patient was immediately moved to an isolated location in the hospital while awaiting results. Access to the affected unit has been restricted and enhanced surveillance measures continue throughout the hospital,” he said.
If you have a need for the hospital, MacNeil isn't discouraging anyone from going to the hospital.
At the facility, he said there is more vigilance in the screening areas, and the question section is much longer.
“But it’s extremely important that the public be forthright and frank about their health status. This disease presents like any number of common respiratory diseases that we see everyday in the community and it’s very important that people be very frank with the screeners at any entrance to the hospital,” he said.
The TADH outbreak is the fourth at a facility in Timmins.
Ministry of Health guidelines require an outbreak to be declared if a patient or staff member test positive.
While hospital staff never wish for an outbreak, he said it is something that healthcare facilities plan for.
Before the outbreak was declared, MacNeil said vistors and volunteer programs at the hospital were restricted. There has been and will continue to be screening at all entrances, and patients attending the hospital must wear a mask. He said enhanced personal protective equipment (PPE) requirements have also been developed for staff throughout the pandemic, and will continue to be implemented as per the ministry guidelines.
“We understand that this is a stressful time for those who require hospital care or who have loved ones currently receiving hospital care. We want to reassure the community that our focus remains on doing everything we can to ensure continued safety of all patients and staff,” he said.
MacNeil also noted the high-skilled staff and physicians on the frontlines.
“And while they have been professional at all times, I think it’s important to recognize that they have friends and family that they are concerned about just like everyone else, as well as themselves, and their anxiety levels are running very high,” he said.
Cochrane District Social Services Board CAO Brian Marks also gave a brief update today.
Last night, he said 70 meals were served at the Lord's Kitchen and the remainder were sent to Living Space.
For homelessness, about 60 people are spending the night at the shelter, McIntyre Curling Club and Northern College student residence. He said they have registered more than 100 people who are homeless locally, though.
“Despite the fact that we house 60 per night, there are more than that that are homeless on a nightly basis,” he said.
In the Porcupine Health Unit region, there are currently 50 confirmed COVID-19 cases.
Of those, 30 people have recovered and three people have died. The third death in the region was reported yesterday and is a man in his 70s who tested positive April 5.
The health unit is aware of 1,141 tests being done in the region. That is an increase of 70 over yesterday's report. The testing for 361 of the tests is in progress.
For the local cases, 28 are in Timmins and 17 of those are resolved, 21 are in the area of Cochrane, Matheson, Iroquois Falls, and Smooth Rock Falls and 12 of those are resolved, and one is in the area of Kapuskasing, Opasatika, Val Rita-Harty, Moonbeam, and Fauquier-Strickland and is resolved.
