Two situations in long-term care facilities in Grey and Bruce in the past few days have concluded, while a third facility remains in outbreak.
On July 29, three staff at Maple View Long-Term Care Residence in Owen Sound had “re-active results” to COVID-19 testing. Re-active results indicate the test has reacted to something that requires further investigation. Subsequent review of test results by the Grey Bruce Health Unit and the Public Health Ontario Lab teams confirmed all three individuals are COVID-19 negative and the re-active results are related to infection they acquired and recovered from in April. The three individuals are asymptomatic and not considered infectious at this time.
On July 28, an outbreak was declared at Trillium Court Nursing Home in Kincardine, and remains in place, following an indeterminate (weak positive) test result in a staff member who reported to have worked for a number of days while having COVID-19-related symptoms. Additional, later tests of the staff member were negative. The individual may return to work and the facility currently has no active cases. The facility will remain in outbreak status as we are still within the incubation period of potential exposure from the time the individual was symptomatic. Public Health outbreak protocols require a facility to remain in outbreak status for the full incubation period.
On July 20, the Meaford Long-Term Care Centre was put in outbreak after a positive COVID-19 test result in a staff member. The outbreak was declared over by Public Health on July 25. The outbreak declaration was triggered by the presence of a single case of COVID-19 in a temporary staff member who lives in a different region. As the individual lives outside of region, the case is being managed by the corresponding health unit and has not showed in our statistics. The results of subsequent testing of residents and staff were all negative.
“The collaboration between our Infectious Diseases Team, and each one of our partners at Maple View Long-Term Care Residence, Trillium Court Nursing Home, and the Meaford Long-Term Care Centre quickly contained any potential risk of transmission, and in two situations returned the facilities to normal operations,” says Grey Bruce’s top doctor, Medical Officer of Health, Dr. Ian Arra. “We continue to work with staff at Trillium Court and expect a favorable resolution forthcoming.”
The public are reminded that any statement which declares a facility “COVID-free” is medically unverifiable and can not be endorsed by the Health Unit. Other outbreak status information should be regarded with an abundance of caution. The legal declaration of an outbreak, its termination, and any information with regard to the status of the outbreak can only be made by Public Health and posted on our website
source: media release, Grey Bruce Health Unit
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