Birch Outbreak Declared Over & Maple Remains in Outbreak- August 15, 2024

Birch Home Area COVID Outbreak has been declared over in collaboration with Public Health. All 4 residents on the line list are able to come out of their room as long as symptoms continue to improve and with masking in place for a further 2 days.

Maple Home Area remains in COVID Outbreak with 2 confirmed cases. 1 resident is able to come out of their room as long as symptoms continue to improve and with masking in place for a further 5 days.

The following infection control measures are to be continued in Maple:

• Surgical Masks or N95 Masks to be worn in the Maple Home Area
• N95 Masks in those resident rooms that are isolated- see specific isolation signage
• Limit of two (2) essential caregivers at a time in Maple Home Areas only
• No General Visitors to Maple Home Area
• Ensure the Public Health 4 moments of Hand Hygiene are followed
• Resident's Hand Hygiene before all meals and regularly throughout the day
• Ensure Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) is used properly- including donning before entering and removing before exiting the isolated resident’s room
• Residents are to remain in the affected home area at this time to reduce the risk of spread
• *If residents insist on leaving the home area, please assist them with masking or a visor and encourage outdoor visiting.
• Twice daily respiratory symptom screening in Maple Home Areas
• Immediate isolation of any residents with new symptom onset
• Cohorting of staff, when possible
• Cohorting of residents and only small group activities in the home area for unaffected residents. Isolated residents to receive one-to-one activities.
• Twice daily high-touch surface cleaning- changing disinfecting product to 1-minute contact time
• Increased hand hygiene and PPE audits in the home area with coaching

Please ensure that you are following the IPAC practices listed above as they are in place to protect residents, staff, essential caregivers, and visitors.

We will continue to provide updates as we move through the outbreak.