Huron Perth Healthcare Alliance (HPHA) has declared a respiratory outbreak on the inpatient unit, level 3, at Stratford General Hospital.
The unit is closed to admissions until further notice, the HPHA said in a media release.
Outbreak status refers to two cases of acute respiratory infection (ARI) within 48 hours within the same unit. One of those must be laboratory-confirmed or three cases of ARI (laboratory confirmation not necessary) occurring within 48 hours within the same unit.
HPHA is working in collaboration with Huron Perth Public Health to manage the outbreak.
Patients, family/caregivers and team members affected are being notified and patient testing is underway.
Family and caregiver presence on the unit has been modified. Patients may only have one family caregiver/visitor per day with no in-and-out privileges and family/caregivers will be required to wear personal protective equipment including mask, eye protection, gown and gloves.
“We know many illnesses are circulating in our community,” says Erica Jensen, manager quality, patient safety and infection control.
A recent COVID-19 outbreak on the integrated stroke-telemetry unit at Stratford General Hospital was declared over on Dec. 21.
Jensen said people should not visit a patient at any of the HPHA hospital sites if you are feeling unwell.
