Nursing students test positive for COVID-19 while participating in placements at Windsor Regional Hospital

Windsor Regional Hospital (CTV News / Christopher Campbell)

Windsor, Ont. — Several nursing students currently taking their placement at the Windsor Regional Hospital have been tested positive for COVID-19.

The hospital was notified by the University of Windsor that four of their nursing students who tested positive for the virus were currently taking their placement at the hospital.

Of the four infected students, three were on the 7West and 6East units at the Ouellette campus on November 3 and 6, and the other student was on the 8North unit at Met Campus on November 3.

A positive St. Clair College nursing student was also at the 6North unit at Met Campus for their placement on November 2. While this student attended a lab on campus, they were in full PPE while at Windsor Regional Hospital.

In response to the recent cases, Windsor Regional Hospital is:

The hospital says nursing student placements from the University of Windsor and St. Clair College on any unit at WRH have stopped until further notice. Also, ALL clinical student placements from the University of Windsor (with the exception of Schulich clinical placements) and St. Clair College on 7W and 6E at Ouellette and 6N and 8N at Met have been halted until this issue is cleared.

The hospital has suspended visitation to the following floors:

Sunday evening, WECHU informed the University of Windsor about an unauthorized student Halloween party.

“This is a strong reminder to our student community that we cannot become complacent with our protocols and guidelines during this pandemic. There is simply too much at stake and we need to be stringent now more than ever,” said University of Windsor President and Vice-Chancellor Rob Gordon.

Both schools, the Windsor-Essex Health Unit and Windsor Regional Hospital will continue to work together to keep the community informed during this time.