THUNDER BAY — Thunder Bay Regional Health Sciences Centre has received some encouraging results from the initial round of tests on staff and patients who had contact with a doctor diagnosed with COVID-19.
A hospital spokesperson said Tuesday that all tests have been completed, and all tests came back negative for the virus.
A second round of tests is still to be administered.
After learning on May 31 that a doctor had worked in the ICU and other areas of the hospital for six days before being diagnosed, TBRHSC commenced an investigation into a possible COVID-19 outbreak.
It tested over two dozen patients who had contact with the physician, and also tested some other patients on a precautionary basis.
Tests were conducted on 176 staff members who had possible contact with the doctor.
All subjects will be re-tested 14 days from the date of their possible exposure to COVID-19.
Dr. Stewart Kennedy, TBRHSC's COVID-19 response leader, had said at the outset that there was a very low risk that the infected physician had passed the virus on to anyone else.
In a post on the hospital's Facebook page, he called the initial test outcome "absolutely great news for us here at the Hospital, and for the community.”
Kennedy added "We know that the science behind what we’re doing is working, and the test results have verified that.”
He cautioned, however, that "over the next year or two we are going to have other positive tests and unexpected mishaps. We have to be prepared. Each time we face a situation that’s unexpected, we will be better prepared. It’s about learning to live with COVID-19, because we expect it to stick around for some time.”
The hospital on Tuesday began a phased increase to its elective surgeries, diagnostic procedures and outpatient appointments.
This was supposed to happen on June 1, but was postponed due to concerns about a potential COVID-19 outbreak.
