Largest COVID-19 outbreak in eastern Ontario hits Almonte long-term care home

Second death at Almonte care home Debbie Cox mourns loss of her father, and worries for the health of her mother, as more than 20 residents at their care home.

ALMONTE, ONT. — A quarter of the residents living at a long-term care home in Almonte have tested positive for COVID-19.

And CTV News Ottawa has learned a second resident of the home has died due to novel coronavirus.

The Almonte Country Haven tells CTV News Ottawa that at least 20 of the 82 residents of the home have tested positive for the virus over the past 10 days.

The Leeds, Grenville and Lanark District Health Unit declared a COVID-19 outbreak at the home on March 29 after three residents and a staff member tested positive for COVID-19.

Almonte Country Haven says initially, the health unit was only testing residents with symptoms due to a shortage of swabs across Canada.

“Since that time, public health actually made the decision to come and swab any of our residents with respiratory symptoms on April 3,” said Carolyn Della Foresta, Administrator of the Almonte Country Haven

“On April 4, we did receive word of several of those swabs, and we do have many residents at this time who are affected by COVID-19.”

CTV News has learned a second person has died at the home due to COVID-19.  Debbie Cox tells CTV News Ottawa her father Ross Richards passd away on Monday, just days after she was told he had symptoms of novel coronavirus.

On March 31, the health unit reported one of the residents of the home had died after testing positive for novel coronavirus.

All residents of Almonte Country Haven are now in isolation, but half of the residents are living four to a room.

“We are an older home, we’re actually 39 years old at this time, and so that said, we’re built to the design standards of the 1970s, so we are a home that is constructed with the basic four-bed basic wards, we also have semi-private rooms and private rooms here,” said Della Foresta.

“Approximately 50 per cent of our residents are in what’s called ward accommodation.”

Almonte Country Haven tells CTV News Ottawa that the long-term care home has a good supply of personal protective equipment, and all staff are using it.

“All of our staff are utilizing all proper infection control procedures, we have a very large supply of personal protective equipment,” said Della Foresta.

“Our staff have to wear gloves, gown, mask and a visor to provide any resident care whatsoever.”

Della Foresta had a message for the families of the 82 residents at Almonte Country Haven.

“Staff from all departments making sure the safe delivery of care, that we’re doing our best to be with every one of our residents, and we are recognizing when the time is near, and we can do everything we can to be with our residents, and hold their hands when families are not able to.”

According to the Ontario Ministry of Health COVID-19 report on Tuesday, there are 73 confirmed cases of COVID-19 in the Leeds, Grenville and Lanark District Health Unit region.

With reporting from CTV News Ottawa's Graham Richardson and Megan Shaw.