A COVID-19 outbreak has been declared at Queen's Park Care Centre in New Westminster.
Fraser Health's website shows the outbreak started on April 26. It affects a rehab unit in the acute-care portion of the facility.
Fraser Health said the outbreak was declared after "evidence of transmission in a rehabilitation unit."
In an email in response to questions from the New Westminster Record, Fraser Health said three staff and nine patients in the unit have tested positive for COVID-19. The unit remains open only to patients who have tested positive for COVID-19 in the last 60 days.
"For this unit only, we have ceased group activities and communal dining, and all patients are on droplet precautions. Visitors are allowed, but they are required to wear masks per infection prevention and control guidelines and we are limiting visitors to one at a time in patient rooms," Fraser Health's statement said.
The email statement also noted that, upon declaring the outbreak, Fraser Health immediately implemented precautions at the site, including enhanced cleaning.
All patients on the affected unit have been notified, and families of patients who are unable to share the information have been informed.
When is a COVID-19 outbreak declared in an acute-care facility?
Determination and declaration of an outbreak in an acute-care facility is made by the medical health officer or their official designate, according to the Fraser Health website.
“An outbreak may be declared when at least one staff or patient/resident (is) diagnosed with COVID-19; AND an investigation indicates transmission most likely occurred in the facility, from another patient/resident, visitor or staff, rather than prior to admission (for patients/residents) or from the community (for staff),” Fraser Health’s site notes.
Further information about COVID-19 outbreaks in health-care facilities is available at the Fraser Health outbreaks page.
It's the second COVID-19 outbreak reported in a New West facility this month; a previous outbreak at Royal Columbian Hospital started on April 9 ended on April 22. It affected six patients in a medicine unit.
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