Respiratory illness outbreak declared at Peterborough’s Fairhaven Long-Term Care

A residence-wide respiratory illness outbreak has been declared at Peterborough’s Fairhaven Long-term Care facility.

Officials at the municipality-run facility announced the outbreak on Tuesday afternoon. The facility houses 256 residents, according to executive director Lionel Towns.

Towns says the causative agent is not influenza rather the RSV virus which causes mild cold-like symptoms.

“Peterborough Public Health does not test for norovirus so it is simply considered as a ‘respiratory illness,'” he said.

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As a result of the outbreak, there will be no visiting in public spaces at the residence, including the dining room, and guest dining will not be available.

During this time, visitors to the facility on Dutton Road are strongly advised to observe the following guidelines:

• If possible, defer your visit until residents are feeling better
• Visit one resident only and do so in their room
• Practice hand hygiene upon entering and leaving the home
• If you are ill, please do not visit until you are well again

Towns says there is no time line for the advisories to remain in place.

“It really depends on the effectiveness of precautions, the limiting of visitors during outbreak, etc.,” he said.

Towns says every residence goes through outbreaks each year and necessary measures are being taken.

“Our exceptional staff always ensure that the length of time is as short as possible through outstanding attention paid to housekeeping protocols and efforts by our direct care staff in limiting assemblies of residents in common areas where viruses can spread more easily,” he stated.