There are currently two outbreaks of COVID-19 in the Tri-Cities occurring in a time of the highly transmissible Omicron variant.
Fraser Health has confirmed an additional case at both Hawthorne Lodge in Port Coquitlam and in the acute care for elders unit in Eagle Ridge Hospital.
This brings the total to five at each facility since their respective alerts were put in place on Dec. 31, 2021, and Wednesday (Jan. 5).
"The health and safety of our acute care patients, their families and our staff is our priority and is a responsibility that we take very seriously," states Fraser Health in an email to the Tri-City News.
No deaths linked to COVID-19 have been reported during either outbreak as of this publication (Jan. 8).
HAWTHORNE LODGE
Another staff member has recently tested positive for the virus at Hawthorne Lodge — located in the Hawthorne Seniors Care Community (2111 Hawthorne Ave.) owned and operated by the Port Coquitlam Seniors Citizens' Housing Society.
The total is now four workers detected for COVID-19 among the outbreak, and only one resident.
This is the third known COVID-19 outbreak at the PoCo long-term care facility since the pandemic began.
All those that tested positive self-isolating in their own homes, Fraser Health says as the authority has implemented enhanced control measures to prevent further potential spread of the virus.
The following measures are in effect:
- Staffing levels are being supported to maintain resident care
- Social visits are restricted in the affected areas of the facility. Essential visits can continue
- Staff and residents movement in the affected areas of the facility has been modified to minimize exposure to others
- Cleaning and infection control measures have been further enhanced
- Residents, families and staff are being notified
- Twice a day screening of all staff and residents is taking place
- Additional testing and screening is in place to support monitoring of disease control
Four Hawthorne community residents have died due to complications with the virus, two during each of the previous declarations, along with 44 total infections.
Between Oct. 29 and Dec. 2, 2020, 34 cases were found in Tower One with 25 residents and nine staff.
In Tower Two, 10 detected cases between Nov. 3 and Dec. 9, 2020, included five residents and five staff members.
EAGLE RIDGE HOSPITAL
Meanwhile, one more patient in the acute care for elders unit at Port Moody's Eagle Ridge Hospital (475 Guildford Way) recently tested positive for COVID-19.
There are now five confirmed to have been infected with the virus since Wednesday's declaration by Fraser Health.
The authority says the outbreak is contained to the ward and remains closed for admissions.
Eagle Ridge's emergency room is still open and no other departments has been impacted since safety precautions were implemented this week.
Six people have died due to complications with COVID-19 in that span — all occurring during the first outbreak — and a total of 51 infections.
This includes 25 from March 1 to April 1, 2021, 13 between March 12 and April 7, 2021, and 13 between June 18 and July 13, 2021.
As well, there have been three known COVID-19 outbreaks in Eagle Ridge Manor, which is a long-term care facility attached to the hospital.
Between November 2020 and February 2021, seven total cases of the virus were detected including five staff members; no deaths were recorded.
VACCINATION UPDATE
As of this publication, the BC Centre for Disease Control (BCCDC) is reporting a 72.2 per cent triple-vaccination rate among eligible residents aged 70 years and older in the Tri-Cities.
Booster doses are now available for anyone who's at or has surpassed the six-month mark since their second shot, per B.C., public health officials.
Dr. Penny Ballem, executive lead for B.C.'s COVID-19 Immunization Efforts, changed the system on Dec. 31 to an interval system instead of aged-based in response to the spread of Omicron.
There's currently a 91.2 per cent double-vaccination rate among those aged 12 and up in the Tri-Cities, as well as a 93 per cent single-dose rate.
Kids aged five to 11 in the Tri-Cities are averaging nearly 44 per cent for first vaccine doses — the second highest in Fraser Health.
