COVID-19 Healthcare Worker outbreaks declared at St. Joseph’s Healthcare Hamilton
St. Joseph’s Healthcare Hamilton, in consultation with Hamilton Public Health, has declared healthcare worker outbreaks of COVID-19 in one inpatient unit of its West 5th Campus and two units at its Charlton Campus. The outbreaks are not considered to be connected.
Today at the Charlton campus, an outbreak was declared on two separate units after two healthcare workers tested positive and on one unit and four healthcare workers tested positive on a second unit.
Yesterday, a healthcare worker COVID-19 outbreak was declared in one unit of the West 5th site after two healthcare workers tested positive. The West 5th site is home to St. Joseph’s Mental Health and Addictions Program.
All healthcare workers who have tested positive are self-isolating at home. They will not return to work until they have completed the self-isolation period, are asymptomatic and have two negative Nasopharyngeal swabs (NPS) taken at least 24 hours apart.
Hamilton Public Health and St. Joe’s Infection Prevention & Control and Occupational Health & Safety teams are monitoring the situation closely. Since April 9, all healthcare workers providing care in clinical areas have been required to wear masks.
St. Joe’s has undertaken a number of measures to ensure the greatest safety to our patients and healthcare workers.
- Patients in these units are being closely monitored, and identified for testing. Families are being informed.
- Contact tracing has been initiated for the healthcare workers which identifies those requiring self-isolation, self-monitoring and NPS testing.
- In addition to the thorough daily cleaning, a deep cleaning of these units is being done.
On April 20, 2020, the COVID-19 outbreak in St. Joe’s Special Care Nursery at St Joseph’s Charlton site was declared over.
Quote:
“The safety and care of our patients and healthcare workers is our highest priority. We recognize how stressful this is for everyone, and are working closely with Public Health to ensure that every measure possible is taken to protect our patients and our people.”
Ms. Winnie Doyle, Executive Vice President Clinical Operations and Chief Nursing Executive, St. Joseph’s Healthcare Hamilton