COVID-19 outbreak declared in two pods at Providence Care Hospital

Providence Care has declared a COVID-19 outbreak in two sections of an inpatient unit at its Providence Care Hospital after four patients tested positive for the virus.

The sections, which Providence Care Hospital identified as Parkside 2 Pods A and B, two 10-bed sections of a larger 30-bed unit, are under quarantine and all patients in the pods have been placed on contact and aerosol precautions, the hospital said in a statement.

“The outbreak will be in place for a minimum of 10 days, during which time Parkview 2 Pod A and B patients will be closely monitored for symptoms of COVID-19 and tested where indicated,” the hospital said in a media release dated Wednesday, Jul. 13, 2022.

Providence Care said that it has alerted Kingston, Frontenac, Lennox and Addington (KFL&A) Public Health about the positive cases and “is working closely with teams there. An investigation is also underway to determine how the patients contracted the virus.”

According to the hospital, all patients on the unit and their loved ones have been informed about the positive cases.

To help limit the spread of infection, Providence Care said that the unit has implemented several additional measures including:

• Parkside 2 is closed to admissions.
• Designated visitors are temporarily prohibited on the unit. Only essential visitors and designated care partners are permitted to visit at this time. Visitors must pass screening and show proof of COVID-19 vaccination to enter the facility. They must also wear a mask and any appropriate personal protective equipment for the duration of their visit.
• Care teams are closely monitoring all patients to identify potential cases early.
• Continue actively screening staff for COVID-19 symptoms. Staff must also wear appropriate personal protective equipment, practice physical distancing and good hand hygiene.
• Extra cleaning of all high touch surfaces and common areas.

“Even with the province easing public health measures, COVID-19 protective measures remain in place at all Providence Care sites,” the hospital said. “We will continue to review safety measures on an ongoing basis to ensure our staff and the people we serve stay protected.”

Visit providencecare.ca for up-to-date information about COVID-19 protective measures in place at all sites. Click here for a complete list of Providence Care sites currently under a COVID-19 watch or outbreak.