

Chris Fox, CP24.com





There have now been 18 deaths at a midtown long-term care home that is in the midst of a significant COVID-19 outbreak.

An official with the Salvation Army Meighen Health Centre near Davisville Avenue and Yonge Street confirmed the grim news to CP24 on Monday.

Officials had previously confirmed 16 deaths early Monday morning but the number was increased after two more residents died overnight.

The facility says that as of this morning there have also been 50 residents who have tested positive for COVID-19 at the facility and 14 staff members. There are 168 beds at the facility, so the positive cases represent nearly one-third of all residents.

All infected staff members are isolating at home and have not returned to work since reciving their diagnoses.

“As of this morning we have had 18 resident deaths that are COVID-related and of course our hearts, our thoughts, our prayers are with all of the families that are impacted like that as well as those who are certainly concerned about their loved ones who are in there right now,” Salvation Army spokesperson Rob Kerr told CP24.

Kerr said that the facility is continuing a partnership with Sunnybrook Hospital to “expedite COVID-19 testing of all residents and staff within the home as a precaution.”

He said that they have also implemented all recommended infection control policies as they work to get the outbreak under control.

"We continue to isolate staff that have tested positive and we continue to monitor and screen every staff members who comes in, every time they enter the building,” he said.

The outbreak at the Salvation Army Meighen Health Centre is one of dozens that have been reported at long-term care homes across Toronto.

So far 33 people have died at Eatonville Care Centre in Etobicoke and another 23 people have died at Seven Oaks in Scarborough. Provincewide there have been 240 deaths reported at long-term care facilities.