One more person has died amid a COVID-19 outbreak at Edmonton’s Misericordia Community Hospital.
Covenant Health — the organization that runs the hospital — confirmed the third death linked to the outbreak on Tuesday. Alberta Health confirmed the patient was a man in his 70s.
“Our sympathies are with their family members and loved ones at this difficult time,” Covenant Health said in a media release.
The first case of COVID-19 related to the outbreak was identified at the Misericordia on June 21, according to Alberta Health Services.
As of Tuesday afternoon, AHS said there were 17 patients at the hospital who have tested positive for COVID-19. So far, 14 staff members have tested positive for the disease and three people have died, according to AHS.
LISTEN BELOW: Heather Smith with United Nurses of Alberta joins The Ryan Jespersen Show on Tuesday morning
No new cases of COVID-19 have been identified in patients in the past 24 hours, according to Covenant Health, and the number of cases in staff has not changed in the last two days.
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Patients who have tested positive are being cared for together on three units, including the hospital’s designated COVID-19 unit. On Monday, AHS said eight units were included in the outbreak restrictions as a precaution.
Also Monday, AHS announced the hospital had suspended new admissions and transfers for surgical and medical patients, in an effort to reduce the risk of further transmission of the novel coronavirus.
A number of other measures were also implemented at the hospital, including restricting surgical capacity to day surgery. Overnight surgeries will be postponed or completed at another site.
The hospital’s emergency department remains open, but AHS said EMS will take patients to other hospitals in the Edmonton zone with the exception of emergencies where the Misericordia is the nearest acute care site.
Women in labour can continue their birth plans at the Misericordia at this time, AHS said Monday.
“Patients should be reassured that the Misericordia is safe for patients,” AHS said in a media release Monday.
Covenant Health said it is testing all patients on the affected units and is also testing all staff who have either worked on or have been present on those units even if they are not showing symptoms.
The latest numbers released by Alberta Health Tuesday afternoon showed there were 620 active cases of COVID-19 in the province, 243 of which were in the Edmonton zone.
In total, there have been 8,436 cases of COVID-19 and 157 deaths related to the disease in Alberta. As of Tuesday afternoon, 7,659 people have recovered from COVID-19.
For up-to-date stories on the outbreak at the Misericordia Hospital, click here.
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