Three people supported at Haliburton’s Community Living home and three staff have tested positive for COVID-19. The Haliburton, Kawartha, Pine Ridge district health unit declared an outbreak at the facility on April 14.
“I am pleased to report that everyone is recovering and are well enough now to be bored with isolation,” said Teresa Jordan, executive director of Community Living Trent Highlands. “As with other outbreaks, I cannot say enough about staff that dedicate extra time and care. When we are in outbreak that means that they must take extra measures with PPE and cleaning and work extra shifts as we are down staff. I compare it to running toward the fire, staff that suit up, jump in and stay throughout the crisis – it is a tremendous testament to fortitude and resilience.”
At press time, the health unit was reporting 17 outbreaks of COVID-19 at high-risk settings throughout the region.
“The health unit has been wondrous with testing, monitoring and guiding our outbreak,” Jordan said. “HKPRDHU has been very responsive to our staff and our people with PCR tests as needed given the nature of what we do.”
The outbreak is the second at a Community Living home in Haliburton this year, the first being declared Jan. 18 at the facility on Mountain Street.
“Again, I just want to thank the community for all the support and encouragement we have had throughout these very trying times, and we look so forward to a time when as an agency we can again be more connected, involved and contributing to this great community,” Jordan said.
According to the health unit, a COVID-19 outbreak is declared in a community living setting if two or more clients and/or staff (or other visitors) test positive for the virus through a PCR test, rapid molecular test, or rapid antigen test and there is a clear epidemiological link between the cases.
“This means there is reasonable evidence of transmission between the affected individuals and a risk of COVID-19 being spread to other clients within the community living setting,” said Bill Eekhof, HKPR communications.For more information on community outbreaks (currently reported in high-risk settings only) visit www.hkpr.on.ca/my-community/community-outbreaks.
-Staff
