An update on outbreaks of COVID-19 at Hamilton Health Sciences – Jan. 11
HAMILTON, ON – There are currently three HHS sites with declared COVID outbreaks.
Hamilton General Hospital
Emergency Department: An outbreak has been declared in the Emergency Department. A total of four staff have tested positive for COVID-19 in the Emergency Department. They are now in isolation.
The Emergency Department remains open and patients should still come to the hospital when experiencing serious or life-threatening health issues.
Short Stay Medical Unit: An outbreak declared on January 8 in the overflow area of the Short Stay Medical Unit after two patients with previous hospitalizations, and one staff member, tested positive for COVID-19. They are now in isolation. The unit is closed to admissions.
5 West: Three additional staff members have tested positive in the outbreak of COVID-19 on 5 West, bringing the total to thirteen. The outbreak was declared on January 1. Of those originally diagnosed, three have returned to work. As a COVID-19 unit, 5 West remains open at this time for admissions.
7 West: There are no new COVID-19 patient cases related to the outbreak declared on 7 West on December 28. The 7 West Step Down Unit (SDU) is open as a separate unit within 7 West.
Visiting at the HGH: Visiting in Medical Overflow and 7W is limited to two essential caregivers/support persons from the same household, or those who are the patient’s essential caregiver, per day. Only one visitor is permitted at the patient’s bedside at a time. Exceptions will be made for patients receiving end-of-life care. Patients on 5W can have only one visitor per day. Visiting hours are from 9 a.m. to 8 p.m. daily.
Juravinski Hospital and Cancer Centre
The E3 unit (medicine) remains in outbreak status. There are five new cases that were identified through point prevalence testing on the weekend, bringing the total for this outbreak to 18 patients. These five patients are being treated as a separate cohort on the unit for the next two days when the siting of their care will be re-evaluated. There are no new staff cases on this unit.
On the F5 unit, there are no new staff or patient cases. F5 is on target to come out of outbreak on January 12. Patients currently on F5 will transfer to M2 at that time. F5 will then be cleaned and prepared to accept COVID-positive patients as of January 13.
The M3 unit continues to accept patients who become COVID-positive from both the JHCC and the Satellite Health Facility.
The C3 (oncology) and E2 (orthopedics) units have each identified COVID-positive patients, who have been relocated within the JHCC. These units are NOT in outbreak. Some restrictions are in place for C3, including a moratorium on admissions to the Eastern Pod and avoidance of transfer to other units until staff point prevalence testing is completed.
Satellite Health Facility
A total of 16 HHS patients and 13 staff are now positive for COVID-19 in the outbreak that was declared on the third floor of the Satellite Health Facility (SHF) on January 6.
Thirteen positive patients have been moved to the COVID units at the Hamilton General Hospital and the Juravinski Hospital. Three await transfer. All COVID-positive staff members are now in self-isolation.
The third floor is an HHS unit currently closed for admissions. No visitors are currently allowed on the floor except on compassionate grounds. Staff on the floor will not work anywhere else until the outbreak is declared over.
A second round of point prevalence testing will occur tomorrow, January 12, for patients and staff.
Contact:
Tom Perry
perryth@hhsc.ca
or
Wendy Stewart
905.521.2100 ext. 49498
stewartwen@hhsc.ca