Five members of the Canadian Armed Forces, who have been assisting long-term care homes in Quebec and Ontario, have been diagnosed with COVID-19.
The military confirmed to The Canadian Press that one of its members is in Ontario, while the other four are in Quebec.
The Canadian Armed Forces have assigned 1,400 personnel to 25 long-term care facilities in Quebec, and 275 to five centres in Ontario, after both provinces asked for assistance in their fight against COVID-19 in LTCs.
Before deployment, each member was trained on how to work in a long-term care facility, and wore protective equipment.
According to CBC, one of the infected soldiers in Quebec worked at Villa Val des Arbres in Laval. Another was a military dentist, who decided to take on duties in a LTC.
On Friday, Justin Trudeau spoke on the situation that Armed Forces members have entered amid the COVID-19 outbreak.
“We need to make sure we are doing everything we can to protect them,” said Trudeau.
“We will look at the protocols in place and see if and how they can be strengthened, as well as ensuring that cases of COVID-19 don’t spread throughout the Canadian Armed Forces and others who are serving our country.”
