3rd McKenzie Towne care facility resident dies from COVID-19 complications

Protecting vulnerable seniors from COVID-19 A third resident of a Calgary long-term senior care home has died due to complications linked to the COVID-19 virus. Mark Villani reports.

Calgary — A third resident of a southeast Calgary long-term senior care home has died due to complications linked to the COVID-19 virus.

In a letter addressed to residents and their family members, the McKenzie Towne Continuing Care Centre's operating company Revera said the resident died Monday morning.

Alberta Health Services confirmed the resident was a man in his 80s.

The first death, a woman in her 80s, was confirmed by Dr. Deena Hinshaw last week. A second woman in her 70s died late Sunday.

An outbreak at the care facility was declared on March 23. As of Monday, 36 residents and five staff have tested positive for COVID-19.

Revera said they are still waiting on an additional 10 test results.

Eighty-four residents at the centre's four housing areas are currently in isolation.

According to Revera, another resident is hospitalized, where they're being treated for the virus.

"After the first confirmation of a positive COVID-19 test, McKenzie Towne was declared to be on outbreak on March 23 and the home was fully locked," Revera said.

"Given the incubation period, we are likely to see more positive cases until at least April 6."

Protocols not immediately implemented

At the daily COVID-19 provincial briefing Tuesday, Hinshaw said there are protocols in place to deal with outbreaks at long-term care centres such as this one.

"In the case of McKenzie Towne, unfortunately that outbreak protocol seems to not have been implemented immediately, so there seems to have been a significant amount of exposure," she said.

Hinshaw said according to the protocols, residents who are exhibiting symptoms are isolated to their rooms and staff are not permitted to come to work while sick.

Staff members who are not sick but who have been exposed to the virus are allowed to work at the facility during the time of the outbreak but must wear masks and can't work at any other facility.

"The critical piece of response in that particular outbreak is making sure that everything is done to prevent any further exposure," she said.

In a statement  to CTV News early Tuesday evening, a Revera spokesperson disputed Hinshaw's characterization of their efforts.

"We were disappointed to hear the Chief Medical Officer's comments," it said. "We have been working with AHS since the outbreak began. We monitored residents for symptoms and put them on isolation when they presented. We screened staff and did not knowingly let people work who were symptomatic."

As of Tuesday there were 754 confirmed cases of COVID-19 in the province.