COVID outbreak continues
The Kateri Memorial Hospital Centre (KMHC) is managing an ongoing outbreak of COVID-19, with a total of eight patients testing positive for the illness since the outbreak was declared on December 29.
Initially, two patients in the Long-Term Care Unit tested positive – those two patients have since recovered, and six patients are currently positive.
“Our staff respond very quickly when we start noticing any type of respiratory virus, not just COVID, so if there’s a cough, a fever, or any type of congestion staff are asked right away to protect themselves, and we try and isolate the clients as much as possible,” said KMHC’s director of nursing Robin Guyer.
The outbreak is within the Long-Term Care Unit, where patients can often be dealing with different types of illnesses, including those that affect their cognition. As a result, Guyer said staff have to be especially on top of outbreak protocols, since patients don’t always fully understand the need to mask up, wash hands, and stay isolated.
“They’re not always understanding the rationale, so when we do have an outbreak, we implement masks across the board on the unit for staffs and for visitors,” she said.
Masking is also being implemented across the hospital for staff and for visitors, and guests are asked not to visit the hospital if they are displaying any kinds of flu-like or respiratory symptoms.
