Staff member at Delta care home diagnosed with coronavirus: Fraser Health

Mar 23 2020, 5:54 pm

A staff member at Delta View Care Centre has been diagnosed with COVID-19, Fraser Health Authority has confirmed.

According to Fraser Health, this is the second long-term care facility in the health authority’s region with a staff member to test positive, after a staff member at Dufferin Care Centre in Coquitlam was diagnosed.

“Comprehensive control measures have been put in place at Delta View Care Centre,” the health authority said.

“Both long-term care facilities have SWAT teams in place that include an infection-control practitioner, public health, clinical support and patient care quality officer to rapidly address quality and communication issues and actively check symptoms in staff and residents.”

Furthermore, Fraser Health “has directed long-term care staff currently working at Delta View Care Centre not to work at any other facility.”

Fraser Health is implementing the following measures in partnership with Ministry of Health:

  • Temporarily suspending inter-facility transfers, except in circumstances of intolerable risk, until further notice and ensure clients’ place on the wait list for transfer is maintained during the suspension of transfers
  • Prioritizing admissions to long-term care from acute care over those from community where possible
  • Temporarily suspending all health authority-operated/funded home and community care adult day programs
  • Temporarily suspending the provision of in-facility respite, except in circumstances of “intolerable risk”

In addition to these measures, Medical Health Officer Dr. Martin Lavoie is issuing a Public Health Order to all licensed long-term care facilities in the Fraser Health region. The Order aims to help prevent the further spread of coronavirus in long-term care homes and protect the health of vulnerable seniors.

The Public Health Order will include the following measures:

  • Restricting visitors to only essential visits through single controlled entrance point where a screening person is present
  • Carrying out screening of all visitors including contractors prior to entering the facility
  • Actively screening all staff and residents twice daily for symptoms
  • Training all staff and residents of infection-control guidelines and adhere to the guidelines
  • Ceasing group activities in the facility and community
  • Performing enhanced cleaning twice a day
  • Maximizing separation of residents while dining
  • Requiring facilities to prepare staffing plans to ensure on going patient care, and submit an implementation plan that prohibits long-term care staff and volunteers (with the exception of physicians, paramedics, and laboratory technicians) from working at more than one health care facility

In addition, Fraser Health said that all symptomatic staff and essential visitors will not be allowed to enter the facility, and all symptomatic residents will be tested and immediately isolated.

Fraser Health said no additional transmission has occurred at this time.

Eric ZimmerEric Zimmer

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