Niagara Health has declared an outbreak of COVID-19 on the Trillium Unit at the Greater Niagara General Site in Niagara Falls.
The outbreak was declared after four patients and two healthcare workers tested positive for COVID-19. All of the cases are healthcare associated.
“The safety of everyone at our hospital sites is our top priority, and our Infection Prevention and Control experts, working with our Occupational Health and Safety team and Niagara Region Public Health, is monitoring this situation closely,” says Derek McNally, Niagara Health Executive Vice President Clinical Services and Chief Nursing Executives. “We have taken immediate steps to ensure the safety of our patients, staff and physicians.”
Enhanced safety measures put in place include:
- Closure of the unit to new admissions or transfers, unless medically necessary
- Enhanced cleaning and disinfection of the unit.
- Contact tracing of affected patients and staff with appropriate follow up is ongoing.
- Visitors are not permitted on the unit.
We cannot stress enough how easily the virus spreads.
Today (Dec. 16), Niagara Health is caring for 42 patients with COVID-19, the highest number during the pandemic, and the number of cases in the community continues to rise. This, along with the five COVID outbreaks we are managing, reinforces the need for everyone to follow public health guidelines, including physical distancing, proper and consistent mask usage, and regular hand washing.
