Campbellford Memorial Hospital in Northumberland County has implemented visitor restrictions after the local health unit declared a COVID-19 outbreak at the hospital on Wednesday (November 24).
The Haliburton, Kawartha, Pine Ridge (HKPR) District Health Unit declared the outbreak after six patients in the hospital’s medical/surgical unit on the second floor tested positive for COVID-19. No staff cases have been identified in the hospital.
Of the six patients with COVID-19, three were fully vaccinated and three were not fully vaccinated.
As a result of the outbreak declaration, the medical/surgical unit has been closed to all visitors, with the exception of those visiting patients in hospital for end of life care. The outpatient endoscopy suite on the second floor has also been closed.
The emergency department, located on the hospital’s first floor, remains open. There are no changes to the visiting rules in the emergency department and minor children and elderly adults who need supportive care can continue to be accompanied by one person. People in need of emergency medical care are encouraged to seek out medical support at emergency department.
The hospital is working closely with the HKPR District Health Unit to ensure appropriate infection prevention and control practices are in place to prevent further spread of the virus.
“While we continue to have appropriate COVID-prevention measures in place at the hospital, we are now implementing additional processes and heightened infection control practices to ensure we stop any further spread and ensure the safety of our patients and staff,” says Alysia English, the hospital’s director of medical care, in a media release.
Hospital staff are working with health unit staff to monitor the outbreak and support case and contact tracing, and additional testing of close contacts is also being conducted at the hospital. The hospital will continue to implement enhanced environmental deep cleaning of the buildings.
Hospital staff are working to minimize the impact of the outbreak on non-emergency services. They will directly contact any patients with scheduled appointments at the hospital that may be affected by the outbreak.
