Three hospitals in Toronto are facing COVID-19 outbreaks, with several patients and staff confirmed to be infected.
St. Joseph’s Health Centre in the west end, as of this morning, has seven active COVID-19 positive patients and 11 active COVID-19 positive staff related to the outbreaks.
The total number of patient cases that tested positive for the virus at the hospital is 14, which includes the seven aforementioned patients as well as another seven unrelated to this outbreak, according to the hospital.
The outbreak stemmed from four units within the hospital — the 2L medicine unit, the 2E unit, the 3M unit and the 4E unit between Oct. 3 and Oct. 16.
“We are managing a significant number of confirmed COVID-19 cases at St. Joseph’s Health Centre,” said spokesperson Jennifer Stranges.
“Our patients, staff and community are our top priority, and we have implemented additional hospital-wide precautions to keep everyone safe.”
According to provincial health guidelines, a COVID-19 outbreak is defined as “at least two cases within a 14-day period where both could reasonably have been acquired” in a congregate setting.
At Toronto Western Hospital, three patients and six staff members have tested positive for coronavirus.
Since Oct. 15, the outbreak has affected units 8A and 8B of the general internal medicine department in the hospital’s Fell Pavilion.
According to University Health Network spokesperson Gillian Howard, additional testing of patients and staff is ongoing.
“The only new information is that there are no additional positive tests today from the swabbing that has been underway from Oct. 12 forward, so we remain at three patients and six staff with positive tests which may be hospital-acquired,” Howard said on Monday.
