Strathroy Middlesex General Hospital is dealing with a COVID-19 outbreak in the 1 South Unit. The Middlesex-London Health Unit declared the outbreak on Sunday after a weeklong suspect outbreak. After 10 days with no new cases, the unit level outbreak is declared over in consultation with the Middlesex-London Health Unit (MLHU). The patients and their families have been contacted, and the hospital will work closely with the health unit to ensure the appropriate testing and precautions. Admissions to the unit will be limited until further notice. In addition, visitors and essential care providers are no longer permitted to visit the unit with the exceptions being provided for palliative care patients.
Precautions remain in place across both our hospital sites and on all units to identify potential outbreaks early and have enhanced safety measures within our hospital sites including:
· Limiting 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.
· As an additional precaution, we will implement a new limit of one (1) visitor per day at SMGH on 2 South and our Four Counties Health Services site.
written by: K. Close