Mississauga Hospital Is Battling A COVID-19 Outbreak Among Staff On Thursday
Another COVID-19 outbreak rocked the GTA on Thursday. On April 9, it was announced that health care workers at the Mississauga Hospital Medicine Unit 4B have tested positive for COVID-19. The news comes days after another Trillium Health Partners hospitals in the city had a patient outbreak last week.
According to a statement released by THP on Thursday, April 9, "a number" of healthcare workers at Mississauga Hospital's Medicine Unit 4B tested positive for the virus between March 26 and April 5.
Spokesperson Keeley Rogers confirmed to Narcity via email that seven staff members who have contracted the illness.
THP stresses that the organization investigated these cases and determined that the workers in question had contracted the virus through community spread.
"We are taking this situation very seriously. While we continue to test and monitor staff and patients from this unit, the number of positive tests we are currently aware of is less than 10," reads part of their statement.
THP stated that fewer than 10 staff members had tested positive.
"All patients on the unit are being notified and are being actively monitored and will be tested immediately should they develop symptoms," they said in their statement.
It continues: "Following a consultation with Peel Public Health and out of an abundance of caution, we are declaring an outbreak of staff cases."
This is just the latest incident to hit THP in recent days.
Another THP hospital suffered an outbreak on March 31. This time, the virus had spread among patients and four individuals at Credit Valley Hospital tested positive.
Hours before that, THP had announced it would be closing the urgent care centre at Queensway Health Centre in Etobicoke, starting at 5 p.m., in order to free up more space for COVID-19.
Thursday's incident also comes just hours after an employee at Brampton Civic Hospital became the first confirmed Ontario healthcare worker to die as a direct result of the virus.
The timing of Thursday's outbreak at Mississauga Hospital seems resonant, considering that's the same site where a dedicated emergency "Pandemic Response Unit" is opening up this week.
This type of building is made to hold about 90 beds, but Trillium president Michelle DiEmanuele said that they still have to make a final decision as to what patients will be staying in the tent, via the Toronto Star.
It remains to be seen whether Thursday's staff outbreak will affect these decisions.
