Another COVID-19 outbreak has been declared in the Medicine Unit at the hospital in Chatham.
The Chatham-Kent Health Alliance (CKHA) announced Tuesday that four cases of COVID-19 were identified on the hospital's Medicine A Unit.
A COVID-19 outbreak recently ended in CKHA’s Medicine B Unit on February 28. That outbreak was first declared on February 11.
An outbreak on the hospital's Medicine B Unit, which was declared on February 11, ended Monday. The CK Public Health Unit is now working with the CKHA to manage the new outbreak.
"As part of CKHA’s pandemic response action plan and in alignment with the hospital’s infection prevention and control guidelines, a number of additional initiatives have been implemented in response to the outbreak on the Medicine A Unit," a statement from CKHA read. "CKHA will continue following these measures until Chatham-Kent’s Medical Officer of Health rescinds the outbreak order."
An outbreak is declared once two or more staff and/or patients test positive for COVID-19 within a 14-day period in a specific area, as directed by the province.
As specified by the CKHA, an outbreak may be declared as “over” once there is a 14-day period from the last case of transmission or from the day the outbreak was declared.
No visitors or care partners will be permitted within the Medicine A Unit during the outbreak, according to the hospital. However, exceptions may be permitted through the established visitor restrictions appeals process
Meanwhile, numbers at the CHKA have been holding steady when it comes to residents in the area with COVID-19.
There are currently 19 COVID patients admitted to the hospital, five of whom are being treated primarily for the virus. Two COVID patients are in critical care, one each in the ICU and PCU.
