The COVID-19 outbreak at a nursing home in Kirkland Lake has officially ended, the Timiskaming Health Unit announced this week.
The province requires an outbreak be declared when a single case is confirmed in a resident or staff member. An outbreak is declared over when there are no new cases in residents or staff after 14 days.
“As of today, we are declaring the outbreak over,” Dr. Glenn Corneil, acting medical officer of health, said in a news release. “We have worked closely with Kirkland Lake Extendicare, Kirkland and District Hospital, the Ministry of Long-Term Care, and Ontario Health – North to ensure that all necessary measures were taken. The outbreak was controlled and the potential for substantial spread of COVID-19 was averted.”
The outbreak was declared Jan. 6 following a single positive CO VID test.
The province of Ontario is currently in lockdown. District residents need to stay home except for essential travel and especially need to avoid social gatherings.
District residents are reminded to:
– Continue practising physical distancing
– Wear a mask or face covering in public indoor spaces
– Wash hands with warm water or use alcohol-based sanitizers and do not touch your face
– Cough or sneeze into your elbow
– Gatherings with people outside of your household are prohibited under lockdown
– Avoid non-essential travel within and outside of our district, especially to high transmission areas
– Stay home if unwell and contact your local assessment centre to schedule an appointment for testing
– Respect public health and any additional safety measures businesses have put in place
– Reach out to vulnerable people in your community who may need support
