Bruyère’s first staff member tests positive for COVID-19
04/18/2020
Late in the
evening on April 16, 2020, we received confirmation that one of our team
members tested positive for COVID-19. Our team member is doing well and is in
self isolation at home. We are sure you will join us in keeping them and their
family your thoughts.
This team member had worked at two of our three
campuses, taking shifts at our Saint-Vincent and Élisabeth
Bruyère campuses and Élisabeth Bruyère Residence,
before testing positive.
We can confirm that while they were working they did
not have symptoms and followed all of the infection prevention and control
measures that we have in place. This included following the recommended use of
Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) and practicing physical distancing.
We can also confirm
that this person acquired COVID-19 from a close contact in the community.
Since the source of transmission is known the
circumstances do not warrant the declaration of an
outbreak at our hospital sites.
Out of an extreme abundance of caution an outbreak,
however, has been declared at Élisabeth Bruyère Residence
(one of our Long Term Care Homes) on the direction of the Medical Officer of
Health.
Outbreak is a very scary word so we need you to know
two things: the first is that in the response to COVID-19, given the vulnerable
nature of our long-term care population, one staff member having a positive
result is enough to declare an outbreak, regardless of where they acquired the
virus. The second is that, preventatively we already had all outbreak measures
in place at both of our long-term care homes to prevent the spread of the virus
within our homes.
We want to confirm that none of our residents or
patients have tested positive for COVID-19 to date.
We want to thank our front line for their diligence
in adhering to our PPE procedures and physical distancing practices. This
commitment along with the additional prevention measures we have put in place
are what has allowed Bruyère to go so long without having a confirmed
case despite increases in the community.
Ottawa Public Health will be noting this as an
outbreak at Residence Elisabeth Bruyère on their website in the coming
days and further information can be found on their website.