The Strathroy Middlesex General Hospital is dealing with a COVID-19 outbreak which was declared by the Health Unit Monday after three patients tested positive on the 1 South inpatient unit. After 10 days with no new cases, the unit level outbreak is declared over. Patients and their families have been contacted, and contact tracing and testing for staff and physicians is also taking place. The unit is now limited in ability to receive admissions until further notice, and visitors and essential care providers are no longer permitted to visit the unit with the exceptions being provided for palliative care patients.
Unit-level outbreaks for COVID-19 are declared, in partnership with the Middlesex-London Health Unit, as soon as there are two or more confirmed positive cases among patients or staff that could have possibly been acquired on an inpatient unit. After 10 days with no new cases, the unit level outbreak is declared over in consultation with the Middlesex-London Health Unit.
The unit is now limited in ability to receive admissions until further notice. In addition, Care teams will regularly update families/caregivers and make them aware of opportunities for virtual connections.
The safety of everyone at SMGH is top priority. MHA’s Infection Prevention and Control Specialist, Occupational Health Specialist and leadership team are monitoring the situation closely. They continue to take steps to ensure the safety of the patients, staff and physicians.
Precautions remain in place across both hospital sites and on all units to identify potential outbreaks early and have enhanced safety measures within the hospital sites including:
·Closure of the 1 South (Medicine) inpatient unit to new admissions
·Suspending patient visiting, with exceptions being provided for palliative care patients.
·Enhanced screening and testing of patients and staff
·Enhanced cleaning and disinfection of the unit.
myFM will bring information and updates as they become available.
Please continue to visit https://covid-19.ontario.ca/ or MHA COVID Updates (https://mhalliance.on.ca/covid-19/) for regular updates on COVID-19.
Written by: K. Close