THUNDER BAY – Thunder Bay’s regional hospital has announced a COVID-19 outbreak involving an unspecified number of individuals in its oncology unit, which provides cancer care.
The Thunder Bay Regional Health Sciences Centre made the announcement via its website on Saturday.
According to provincial guidelines, a COVID-19 outbreak in a public hospital involves two or more confirmed COVID-19 cases in a specified unit within a 14 day period, where both could reasonably have been acquired at the hospital.
“The low threshold for declaring an outbreak ensures that outbreak management measures, including increased infection prevention and control practices, can be put in place swiftly to contain any further spread,” the hospital said in a statement.
The news means the hospital will freeze new admissions to the oncology unit until further notice. Visits by essential care partners will be allowed only for patients at end of life while an investigation is ongoing.
The hospital is now working with the Thunder Bay District Health Unit to implement enhanced surveillance and testing in the oncology unit, it said.
Anyone considered at risk will be contacted by public health authorities.
Other areas of the hospital are not affected by the outbreak declaration.
“Anyone requiring urgent care should feel safe attending our hospital or emergency department to access that care,” the hospital said.
