Another COVID-19 outbreak was declared at Fairhaven long-term care in Peterborough, health officials announced Monday evening.
The latest outbreak was Peterborough Public Health after its initial daily case update was announced at 4 p.m. citing three new COVID-19 cases and 11 resolved cases and only two active outbreaks.
According to Fairhaven’s executive director Lionel Towns, a staff member from the Westview 3 section of the home tested positive following a surveillance test on Monday morning.
“This rapid test result must be confirmed by a PCR test at a provincial lab before an outbreak is called,” he noted. “Out of an abundance of caution, we will be halting all visits — including essential caregivers — immediately. An additional PCR test has been taken and we can expect results to be returned to us in 24 to 48 hours.
“This is not yet considered to be an official outbreak. When lab results are returned, and if the result is positive for the coronavirus, further resident and staff testing will occur.”
Fairhaven is still reeling from two outbreaks over the past three months — one which claimed the lives of three residents.
The first outbreak was declared on Oct. 31 after a caregiver — not a direct employee — tested positive for the virus. Over the next 40 days, three of 20 residents who tested positive in the Westview 2 section of the Dutton Road facility died of COVID-19, the health unit reported. Five staff and caregivers also tested positive during the outbreak.
The outbreak was declared over on Dec. 11.
The second outbreak was declared on Dec. 15 involving a person employed by the home had tested positive. Fairhaven noted the individual had not worked in the facility for the previous five days. The outbreak cited in the Riverside 3 section of the municipally run facility was declared over on Dec. 26.
“Fairhaven had been operating under a strict staffing bubble structure for month,” said Towns. “Since the beginning of the pandemic, our home has been completely committed to the highest levels of performance in detecting and containing cases of COVID-19. We are also committed to full transparency related to the communication of any positive test results related to staff or our residents. COVID-19 tests are mandatory for our staff and are all completed in house by Fairhaven personnel, meaning that all staff, who test positive, are linked to our Home. This ensures that positive employee cases result in outbreaks being declared by Peterborough Public Health, regardless of whether they include just one staff case.
“Testing occurs continuously for all staff and all residents, who are symptomatic, as well. As with previous one-case outbreaks, our staff will work tirelessly to suppress any spread of the coronavirus.”
Two other outbreaks remain active in Peterborough. One declared on Dec. 23, 2020, is at Community Living Trent Highland’s Romaine St. residential home where there have been 14 cases total among residents and staff. Community Living serves adults with developmental disabilities.
The other outbreak declared on Jan. 3 is at Stewart Homes on Brealey Drive. The home also serves people with disabilities.
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