ATIKOKAN, Ont. — The Northwestern Health Unit has declared a COVID-19 outbreak at Atikokan General Hospital.
This follows the confirmation of one positive COVID-19 test result involving a member of the staff in the long-term care wing.
AGH issued a statement Sunday saying its occupational health nurse, along with public health staff, are actively monitoring and coordinating with the affected staff member.
The hospital said it recognizes "the fear, even anger" that some residents of Atikokan might feel after hearing the news.
"Please note that the AGH team has been preparing since the beginning of the pandemic and we are proactively addressing the situation. We strongly support the 'no blame' stance because we firmly believe that nobody would want this happening to anybody," the statement said.
It added the following:
- All residents are already being isolated out of an overabundance of caution
- Staff and residents will be tested this week. Staff will continue with regular testing after that
- Visitor restrictions are already in place
- Outpatient services are continuing as each appointment is being assessed when it comes to risks versus benefits
- Regular meetings have started between AGH Incident Management Team and Northwestern Health Unit
- Personal protective equipment is available and the hospital is well-stocked
Hospital management said it will provide regular updates on its social media site.
