Island Health announces three new COVID-19 outbreaks, declares three over

Island Health has announced three new COVID-19 outbreaks at health facilities in Victoria and Nanaimo, while also declaring three outbreaks to be over.

Nanaimo Seniors Village assisted living, Victoria General Hospital – 6A and 6B Neuromedicine units and Nanaimo Regional General Hospital – 5^th floor general medicine unit are the three new facilities added to Island Health’s outbreak list.

At the same time, three facilities are no longer considered to be experiencing an outbreak of COVID-19.

These are Luther Court long-term care home in Victoria, Sidney All Care long-term care home, and the Sidney Care Home.

With the latest update, there are still 26 facilities currently experiencing outbreaks within the health authority, according to Island Health’s website.

The health authority says they have implemented comprehensive strategies to prevent and respond to COVID-19 in long-term care, acute care, assisted living and licensed care facilities and will be supporting each site amid the latest wave of the virus.

As part of Island Health’s response to each outbreak, no admissions or transfers are being carried out at outbreak facilities. All group activities and congregate dining will be suspended for the course of the outbreak and there will be enhanced screening of all staff and residents on site.

The case numbers reported below are cases that have been confirmed via PCR testing or follow-up from Island Health’s case and contact management team.

Here are the details of the latest outbreaks:

Nanaimo Seniors Village assisted living in Nanaimo

Two resident cases have been identified related to this outbreak. The outbreak declaration is limited to the assisted living side of the facility and the long-term care home is not currently affected.

Nanaimo Seniors Village is owned and operated by West Coast Seniors Housing Management.

Victoria General Hospital – 6A and 6B Neuromedicine units

Nine patient cases have been identified related to this outbreak.

The outbreak declaration is limited to 6A and 6B and no other areas of the hospital are affected by this outbreak declaration. VGH remains a safe place to attend and people should not avoid seeking emergency care, should they need it.

Nanaimo Regional General Hospital – 5^th floor general medicine unit

Five patient cases have been identified related to this outbreak.

The outbreak declaration is limited to the 5^th floor and no other areas of the hospital are affected by this outbreak declaration. NRGH remains a safe place to attend and people should not avoid seeking emergency care, should they need it.

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As for the outbreaks that have been declared over, at the Luther Court long-term care home there was a total of three residents and four staff who tested positive as part of the outbreak. At both the Sidney All Care long-term care home and the Sidney Care Home, there was one resident that tested positive.

“Staff at these sites are to be commended for their excellent work delivering high-quality, compassionate care under challenging circumstances,” reads a statement from the health authority.

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