On Tuesday, the Simcoe-Muskoka Health Unit said in a weekly media briefing that confirmed cases are now 21 staff and 16 patients with one death and four units having cases.
The COVID-19 outbreak on all inpatient units at Georgian Bay General Hospital (GBGH), declared December 4 in consultation with the Simcoe Muskoka District Health Unit (SMDHU), continues.
As of the end of day December 13, there have been the following cases related to the outbreak:
- 14 patient cases
- Eight remain admitted in hospital
- Five discharged home
- One outbreak-related death
- 20 staff/credentialed staff cases
“Since the outbreak was declared, GBGH has worked closely with the SMDHU and our Infection Prevention and Control department to take further precautions related to patients and our team members,” says Dr. Dan Lee, COVID medical lead and chief of Emergency Medicine, GBGH. “From the start of the pandemic, we have implemented many measures to provide a safe place for our patients to receive care, our staff to work and our credentialed staff to practice. These actions have been increased due to the recent outbreak.”
Some of these actions include:
Patients
- Limit patient movement between units/departments (complete some procedures and diagnostic tests at the bedside)
- Increased monitoring of all patients for symptoms
- All newly admitted patients are tested for COVID-19, regardless of whether they have symptoms
- All patients are placed on droplet/contact precautions under the assumption they could potentially be COVID positive
- All patients are masked for any procedures or assessments done with less than two metres of distance between the care team and the patient
- Grouping of COVID positive patients in designated ‘hot’ areas of the hospital
- Postponement of non-urgent and elective procedures (Ambulatory Care) and surgeries
- Suspended inpatient visitation with the exception of special circumstances
- Enhanced environmental cleaning measures
- Extensive contact tracing
Staff and Credentialed Staff
- Surveillance testing of staff and credentialed staff
- Opening additional break room space
- Strictly enforcing capacity limits in break rooms
- Enhanced cleaning in break rooms, nursing stations and other high-touch areas
- Limiting the movement of staff and credentialed staff between units/departments
- Extensive contact tracing