One person is dead and 22 cases of COVID-19 have been confirmed at Simcoe Manor in Beeton but the health unit has not yet determined how the virus got into the facility in the first place.
“We have put in significant measures over and above our ongoing COVID-19 Outbreak and Contamination Measures as quickly as possible to stop the spread of this virus,” said Jane Sinclair, general manager of health and emergency services at the County of Simcoe.
“Our staff are working very hard and we are meeting daily with a number of key partners including the Simcoe Muskoka District Health Unit," she added.
Two deaths occurred over the weekend at the facility. One, an 88-year-old man, has been confirmed as COVID-19 positive. The other person who died had been tested for COVID-19, but results have not yet come back as of Monday at 4 p.m. Sinclair said the test results are expected back in the next 24 to 48 hours.
The cause of transmission has not yet been determined.
“We’re actively working with the health unit right now on contact tracing. We have not determined the origin of this outbreak at this point in time, but there is active tracing underway,” said Sinclair.
All 126 residents were tested on Friday. All 171 staff were tested Monday on-site.
Staff have been tested for COVID-19 every two weeks for months as part of the county’s safety protocols. The last testing date was Sept. 16, and all staff members tested negative at that time.
Extensive protocols remain in place to stop the spread within the home, Sinclair said.
Protocols include temporary cancellations of visitors (with some exceptions), enhanced cleaning measures, advanced screening, cohorting staff to individual units during each shift and a temporary hold on all new resident admissions and internal transfers.
Staff are now required to wear full PPE including gloves, gowns, masks and face shields upon entering units, and all residents are isolated in their rooms for precautionary reasons, with tray service for meals. Residents are using of disposable plates, cups and cutlery for the duration of the outbreak to provide additional infection control safety.
The adjacent Simcoe Village is not in outbreak.
