University Health Network supporting long-term care home with COVID-19 outbreak

A COVID-19 outbreak has spread to more than 100 residents and staff members at a Toronto long-term care home and has led University Health Network to step in.

On January 4, the Government of Ontario announced that University Health Network (UHN) would be providing “enhanced support” to St. George Care Community for at least 90 days.

“Our government is doing everything we can to protect the most vulnerable, our long-term care residents,” said Dr. Merrilee Fullerton, the Minister of Long-Term Care, in a release.

Nadia Daniell-Colarossi, a spokesperson for Sienna Living, the company that runs the long-term care home, confirmed to Daily Hive that 84 residents and 51 staff members are currently battling COVID-19 infections at the facility.

Since the outbreak was first declared on December 4, 66 residents and 27 staff members have recovered. Six of the home’s residents have died as a result of the outbreak.

Daniell-Colarossi confirmed the presence of UHN infection prevention and control experts at the home. She noted that with the expert’s support, some residents who had tested negative for the virus were able to receive COVID-19 vaccines last week.

“We are working diligently to ensure all infection prevention and control measures are robustly in place, as well as isolation precautions for residents,” Daniell-Colarossi said.

“As a result of implementing a comprehensive action plan with the guidance of UHN, there have been no new resident cases in the past five days.”

Approximately 10 St. George Care Community residents will be moved to the government’s Specialized Care Centre in the coming days, Daniell-Colarossi confirmed.

She said the move, which will be temporary, is part of a “broader strategy to provide safe care to all residents.”

As of January 4, 233 of Ontario’s 626 long-term care homes are facing an active COVID-19 outbreak.