New confirmed cases of COVID-19 has led Niagara Health to declare a facility-wide outbreak of COVID-19 at the Greater Niagara General Site, effective today.
Three healthcare workers in the Intensive Care Unit have tested positive for COVID-19, meeting the definition of a unit-specific outbreak. This is the fifth inpatient unit outbreak of COVID-19 at the Niagara Falls hospital site.
“We are taking all appropriate steps across the site to decrease the risk of the spread of this highly contagious virus, working closely with the NH team, including our Infectious Diseases physician specialists, and with Niagara Region Public Health,” says Derek McNally, Executive Vice President, Clinical Services and Chief Nursing Executive. “As a result of the facility-wide outbreak, we are unable to permit visitors on site with exceptions for compassionate reasons only, and these visits must be approved in advance with our care team.”
A total of 59 patients and 73 staff have tested positive for COVID-19. Ten patients who tested positive for the virus have died, and our thoughts are with their families and loved ones.
We are currently caring for 21 positive patients at the site.
A reminder to the public that the Emergency Department at the Greater Niagara General Site remains open to provide emergency care.
COVID cases are increasing in the community and in the hospital. The highly contagious nature of this virus reinforces how critical it is for everyone to wear a mask, wash their hands, practice physical distancing at all times, and stay home within their small social bubbles.
