COVID-19 confirmed at St. Paul’s Hospital NICU

COVID-19 has been confirmed in the neonatal intensive care unit at Vancouver’s St. Paul’s Hospital.

St. Paul’s NICU is for babies who need intensive nursing observation and care.

Vancouver Coastal Health’s latest Facility Outbreak Bulletin, posted just after 3:30 p.m., lists the unit and says restrictions were imposed Thursday.

Providence Healthcare spokesperson Shaf Hussain said the unit is separate from the hospital’s maternity ward, which remains open, and that the NICU has now been closed for cleaning and sanitization.

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Babies from the unit have been moved to a temporary, satellite NICU, he said.

Hussain said he could not speak to how many cases are involved, or whether the outbreak involves infants, patients or staff.

Previous outbreaks in B.C. health-care facilities have been declared over single cases.

Hussain said a Vancouver Coastal Health medical health officer is leading the response to ensure infection control protocols are in place.

Global News has requested more information from VCH.

More to come…

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