List of outbreaks at Manitoba hospitals, care homes continues to grow

File image: Josh Crabb/CTV News

WINNIPEG — The Manitoba government announced additional COVID-19 outbreaks at retirement and personal care homes, as well as hospitals on Thursday, Nov. 19.

Health officials declared outbreaks at Health Sciences Centre Winnipeg’s GA3 unit, the Buhler Active Living Centre in Winkler, Man., the Oakwood Place in Blumenort, Man., and St. Paul’s Personal Care Home in Dauphin, Man.

All of these facilities have been moved to the red or critical level on Manitoba’s pandemic response system.

HEALTH SCIENCES CENTRE

This is not the first outbreak at Winnipeg’s Health Sciences Centre.

On Wednesday, Nov. 18, Manitoba declared outbreaks at two of the hospital’s units, GH3 and GA4. A previous outbreak was also announced on Nov. 5.

Lanette Siragusa, Shared Health’s chief nursing officer, previously said that outbreaks at healthcare facilities are inevitable and expected during a pandemic.

“They are a challenging, but very real reality, that we will continue to face over the weeks and months ahead so long as community transmission remains widespread,” she said.

To manage these outbreaks, facilities have put enhanced infection prevention and control measures in place, including restricting patient movement, monitoring for symptoms, and contact tracing.