GBGH COVID-19 outbreak: Contact tracing update
December 8, 2020 – Due to the COVID-19 outbreak on all inpatient units at Georgian Bay General Hospital (GBGH) extensive contact tracing is taking place in consultation with the Simcoe Muskoka District Health Unit.
If someone received care at the hospital between November 23 and December 4 (the day the outbreak was declared) and were in contact with a patient or staff member who has tested positive for COVID, their names have been identified through extensive contact tracing. Contact tracing for current patients and staff is being completed through the hospital’s Occupational Health and Safety and Infection Prevention and Control departments. Contact information for anyone who has been an inpatient (and has now been discharged) or outpatient at the hospital, or who may be considered a high-risk contact of one of these cases, has been provided to public health for community follow-up.
There are currently 16 staff/credentialed staff cases and three inpatient cases identified as part of the outbreak. This is an increase of three staff and one inpatient since December 7.
GBGH continued to test staff and credentialed staff on December 8 as part of efforts to identify any positive cases. All inpatients have been tested and all new patient admissions to the hospital are being tested.
“Over the past four days, the hospital has tested more than 520 staff and credentialed staff,” says Dr. Dan Lee, COVID medical lead and chief of Emergency Medicine, GBGH. “As more testing tends to net more positive results, we do expect the potential to see an increase in positives, similar to when testing increases in the community and more positive cases are detected.”
The Midland COVID-19 Assessment Centre has also seen an increase in positive cases in the past week with eight new confirmed community cases. This does not include cases related to the outbreak at GBGH. Anyone in the community who is experiencing symptoms should seek COVID-19 testing via the Midland COVID-19 Assessment Centre by booking online via the GBGH website or by calling 705-529-1025.
Contact:
Jennifer Moore
Communications Officer, GBGH
705-526-1300 ext 5177