Twenty-two patients at the Georgian Bay General Hospital have contracted COVID-19 while receiving inpatient care since Oct. 31, but none have died or become seriously ill.
"The symptoms for all our COVID patients have remained quite mild," said Linda Gravel, vice president of clinical services and chief nursing executive. "It's very, very positive for our patients."
There have been three separate outbreaks at the hospital, all of which are contained to the three areas and have not spread any further, added Gravel.
"There is a lot of COVID right now in the community," she said. "This new strain is quite contagious."
The first outbreak was declared Oct. 31 with 10 inpatients in the 2 North section who contracted COVID-19.
"Many have recovered and been discharged. That's great news," Gravel said.
The second occurred this past Monday with six patients in the 1 North Complex Continuing Care and Rehabilitation unit. That unit is currently closed to admissions.
"No further patients have been identified with COVID right now," she added. "The same thing - very mild symptoms, recovering nicely and many are being discharged."
The third outbreak happened Wednesday with six patients in the 2 East inpatient unit. There have been no further cases and no one is seriously ill, Gravel said.
There are multiple reasons why COVID hasn't caused any serious illness this time, said Gravel.
"The strains of COVID really changed and have become much less virulent. A lot of that is linked to the high use of vaccines, so that's very positive for us and everyone," she said.
Secondly, lesson were learned during the COVID-19 epidemic, according to Gravel, who noted they cohort only COVID-positive patients together.
"That really decreases the risk of the transmission of spread," Gravel said, noting each outbreak area has two teams of cleaners, who do more cleaning, especially on all high-touch services.
Hospital leaders decided to restart masking in early October, knowing that there would be a high flu burden along with increased respiratory illness and COVID numbers, said Gravel. Now staff, visitors and patients (when they are in interacting with staff or visitors) are masked.
Further, Gravel asks hospital visitors need to check themselves and make sure they are symptom free, meaning that if you have a fever, running nose, a cough, unusual lack of energy or chills that you not come into the building as a visitor.
"We do know that visitors will also transmit COVID," she said.
Staff members have been off with COVID, but most are related to getting it from the community. No further staff have acquired COVID, which is good news for outbreak status and the staff too, Gravel said.
Since the outbreaks, the hospital has increased testing of patients and staff. Visitation to the units in outbreak is limited to essential caregivers only. Universal masking and eye protection is required for anyone entering a unit experiencing an outbreak.
