The virus has passed from one Ridge Meadows Hospital patient to another in an acute-care ward

Fraser Health is dealing with a COVID outbreak at Ridge Meadows Hospital.

While Dr. Bonnie Henry alluded to the issue in her daily briefing Thursday, Fraser Health was able to confirm more details late Friday.

They are managing an outbreak of COVID-19 on an acute-care unit at Ridge Meadows Hospital in Maple Ridge, confirmed a Fraser Health senior public affairs consultant, Dixon Tam.

“The definition of an outbreak on an acute care unit is any single case where there appears to be in-hospital transmission of the virus,” he explained.

Following protocol, enhanced infection control measures were put in place on the unit, when a patient-to-patient transmission was identified, Tam said.

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“These measures include closing the unit to any new admissions, putting all patients on the unit on droplet precautions, and monitoring patients for symptoms a number of times a day.”

He noted that patients, families, and staff have been notified, “as appropriate.”

Enhanced cleaning is also happening on the unit.

In addition to the increased efforts on the ward, for several weeks now Fraser Health has been cleaning and following enhanced infection control measures. The movement of patients, staff, and physicians within the hospital has been reduced, while still maintaining staffing levels needed for patient care.

Only essential visitors are permitted in the hospital, as is the case in all other such facilities in the region.

For more information on COVID-19 and steps being taken to reduce its impact, the public should visit www.fraserhealth.ca/covid19.

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Coronavirus