Investigation continues into knowing COVID exposure at Calgary long-term care centre

AgeCare Seton is a retirement community in southeast Calgary. Alberta Health says it is aware of an incident this week where a visitor attended the facility well aware of their positive COVID-19 case. (File/Google Maps)

Calgary — Provincial health officials say an investigation is continuing into a visitor at a long-term care home who lied to staff about their positive COVID-19 diagnosis while seeing a relative.

The exposure occurred at AgeCare Seton, a retirement community in southeast Calgary on Dec. 7, according to a memo obtained by CTV News.

The letter says the family member, who knew they were infected with the disease, visited a unit on the first floor.

Staff screened the individual, but they did not tell them they recently tested positive.

As a result, all residents on the floor have been tested for possible infection.

Asked for an update on Monday, Alberta Health assistant director of communications Tom McMillan said in an email the investigation is still underway.

An outbreak at the building was announced Dec. 8 and officials say two staff members are sick. No residents have contracted COVID-19 so far.

Numbers released Monday show two cases remain active at the facility.

Anyone who tests positive for COVID-19 in Alberta is legally required to isolate for 10 days.

Dr. Deena Hinshaw, Alberta's chief medical officer of health, said during the daily update last week that it is every Albertans’ responsibility to self-isolate themselves as soon as they receive a positive COVID-19 result.

"That individual is violating the legal order that requires them to stay home and away from others except for matters such as acquiring testing," she said.

"Those individuals, if they knowingly violate that and, particularly, if they enter a very vulnerable setting such as acute care or a long-term care home, those individuals could be faced with penalties such as a fine or penalties are that applicable in that situation."

The fine for not following provincial health orders is $1,200 along with a court appearance, where the fine can be upped to as much as $100,000.