KENORA, Ont. — COVID-19 cases involving a staff member at the Birchwood Terrace long-term care home, and two members of the Valleyview Public School community, have now resulted in outbreaks being declared at both sites.
The nursing home confirmed Monday that one member of the staff tested positive for COVID-19 during recent routine weekly testing.
The individual is isolating at home.
Residents who may have been exposed to this person have been swabbed, but so far no other staff or residents are displaying any symptoms.
Under provincial guidelines, an outbreak can be declared in a long-term care home if at least one resident or staff member has a lab-confirmed case of COVID-19.
The Northwestern Health Unit has also declared an outbreak at Valleyview School, under provincial guidelines that define an outbreak in a school as two or more lab-confirmed cases among students, staff or visitors within a 14-day period.
The guidelines also stipulate that at least one case must be reasonably considered to have acquired the infection in the school setting.
However, in a social media post Monday, the health unit said it is too early in the investigation to know for sure whether there was transmission within the school.
The agency has not disclosed whether the cases involve staff or students.
There have been no new confirmed cases, and the school remains open to students who have not been identified as close contacts and told to self-isolate.
Since last Thursday, 10 new active cases of COVID-19 have been reported in the Kenora area, including cases at three schools and a daycare.
