A COVID-19 outbreak has been declared in a Lions Gate Hospital unit after patients tested positive for COVID-19.
The adjacent unit is also placed on enhanced surveillance out of caution, said Catherine Loiacono, the Director of Public Affairs and Stakeholder Relations at the Vancouver Coastal Health.
Upon declaring the outbreak, Vancouver Coastal Health immediately implemented strict infection prevention and control protocols to prevent further transmission of the virus.
These include:
- Careful monitoring of patients, staff and physicians
- Enhanced cleaning and disinfection of all high-touch surfaces
- Restricting patient admissions and transfers from outbreak units or facilities
- Cohorting of staff to the affected area
- Self-monitoring or self-isolation of staff/physicians as part of Public Health contact tracing
- Adherence to the restriction of visitors to the unit (with exemptions for end-of-life situations)
Vancouver Coastal Health is in the process of notifying patients on the affected units about the COVID-19 outbreak, as well as their families.
As a result of the COVID-19 outbreak, Lions Gate Hospital is temporarily moving to Phase 2 of the Surgical Surge Plan which means it will be prioritizing urgent and emergent surgeries.
Patients who may be impacted will be contacted directly.
The emergency department at Lions Gate Hospital remains open, and there has been no impact to other areas of Lions Gate Hospital.
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