COVID-19 outbreak declared on Davies 5 unit at Kingston General Hospital

Kingston Health Sciences Centre (KHSC) has declared a COVID-19 outbreak at its Kingston General Hospital (KGH) site involving two new cases of the virus.

KHSC made the announcement just after 1:30 p.m. on Tuesday, Jan. 4, 2022, noting that the outbreak is on the Davies 5 unit at KGH. Currently, two patients on that unit have contracted the virus and tested positive. The unit is now under quarantine and closed to all admissions and visitors. According to KHSC, Kingston, Frontenac, Lennox and Addington (KFL&A) Public Health has been notified.

The Davies 5 unit is normally classified as a Medicine Short Stay Unit, but during the COVID-19 pandemic, it has been used for patients that would normally be in Connell 3, a Transitional Support Unit. Connell 3, in turn, has been used as a temporary COVID-19 ward.

According to a media release, KHSC is in the process of notifying patients, visitors and staff affected by the outbreak. The hospital organization said they are also in the process of completing the necessary contact tracing and testing for individuals on the unit.

KHSC said that its top priority is the safety of patients, health-care workers and the community. “As we continue to see high-levels of community spread of COVID-19, KHSC thanks everyone for helping to prevent the spread of the virus within the hospital, including adherence to our screening processes, masking requirements and visitor restrictions,” the organization said. “Individuals in the community experiencing mild COVID-19 symptoms are reminded to self-isolate, while individuals with more severe COVID-19 symptoms, such as difficulty breathing, should visit the Urgent Care Centre at Hotel Dieu Hospital or the Emergency Department at Kingston General Hospital.”