Coronavirus: Outbreak ends at Kitchener retirement home where 7 residents died

The Kitchener, Ont., retirement home that was the first in Waterloo Region to experience COVID-19-related deaths says the coronavirus outbreak at one of its homes has been declared over.

Highview Residences, which saw seven residents of Blair Creek House die of COVID-19-related complications, says no residents or staff have tested positive for the coronavirus over the last 14 days.

“April was a very difficult month,” Joy Birch, chief operating officer of Highview Residences, said in a statement. “But what sticks with me is the resilience shown by our families and staff.”

Highview says that 14 of the 24 residents at Blair Creek House tested positive for the virus at the height of the outbreak, although some were asymptomatic. Eleven employees also tested positive for the virus.

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“I can’t say enough about how our families and staff have rallied to support each other through this,” Birch said. “While this has been a time of great sadness, stress, long hours, worry and heartbreak, it has also been a time of love, kindness, resilience, joy and grace.”

The company says that with staff becoming healthy again, staffing pressures are easing.

Birch credited staff members with taking special care of the residents, as they were isolated from family members in a company-provided hotel.

“When everyone else was running from the fire, they continued to run into the fire every day,” Birch said.

While the outbreak has come to an end at Blair Creek House, there are a number of other long-term care homes in the area that continue to experience major coronavirus outbreaks.

Thirty-four residents have died at Forest Heights Long-Term Care, while peopleCare AR Goudie and Trinity Village have also seen multiple residents die of COVID-19 complications.