Kingston General Hospital unit quarantined after staff member positive for COVID-19
A unit at Kingston General Hospital has been placed under quarantine after a staff member working in the unit tested positive for COVID-19, Kingston Health Sciences Centre confirms.
Anne Rutherford, a Public Relations Officer for Kingston Health Sciences Centre, confirmed the positive test but could not immediately confirm any other information, including what position the positive staff member holds at the hospital.
According to a vetted source wishing to remain anonymous, Kingston Health Science Centre’s Infection Prevention and Control (IPAC) team has placed the Davies 5 unit under quarantine for 14 days, and it is closed to any new admissions or visitors.
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 recent update from Dr. Stephen Archer on the Department of Medicine’s COVID-19 response.
The staff member is currently at home recovering and in self-isolation, according to a copy of a KHSC memo obtained by Kingstonist.
According to the memo, all patients in the unit are being tested for COVID-19 and are being closely monitored for signs and symptoms of the illness. In addition, the memo indicates that additional housekeeping and sanitization measures are being implemented throughout the unit.
Patients who were in contact with the staff member and have since been discharged from the hospital will be contacted by KFL&A Public Health, according to the memo, and IPAC and Occupational Health, Safety and Wellness at KGH will be completing contact tracing for anyone who had contact with the staff member.
The memo indicates that over the next several days, staff who worked closely with the positive individual will be swabbed and tested.
The positive test case has not affected other units in the hospital and patient care services continue as usual in all other areas of the hospital.