A COVID-19 outbreak has been declared in the inpatient surgery unit (Wing C, level 3) at Cambridge Memorial Hospital.
"A hospital outbreak is declared when two or more patients and/or staff test positive for an infectious illness that was acquired in hospital within a time frame that is consistent with the epidemiology of the disease, and when there is a link between the cases," a news release said.
At this time, the outbreak is limited to a patient and a member of staff.
Staff working in the outbreak unit are required to have a negative rapid antigen test daily before work. This includes staff that have worked on inpatient surgery since the outbreak has been declared and are scheduled in another unit. Students will be placed elsewhere in hospital for the duration of the outbreak. These precautions have also been added to enhance safety:
- Masks to be used by staff at all times while in the unit; face shields to be worn within two meters of patients
- All patients will be placed in airborne/droplet/contact precaution
- Enhanced surveillance by swabbing and testing non-infected patients every three days until the outbreak is declared over
- Enhanced cleaning, especially to high touch areas
- Visitors are restricted to the unit except in end-of-life situations
- Virtual visits and phone connections for patients and families can be arranged
- Signage posted at entrances
The outbreak may be declared over on Sept. 1 if no new cases arise.
