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OUTBREAK DECLARED

Ponoka hospital has three patients test positive for COVID-19

Dec 11, 2020 | 2:45 PM

A COVID-19 outbreak has been declared in the acute care unit at the Ponoka Hospital & Care Centre.

“At this time, there are three COVID-19 confirmed cases, in patients, linked to this outbreak,” according to the Alberta Health Services website.

No cases have been reported in the hospital’s long-term care unit.

AHS says outbreak control measures have been implemented and that any patient with symptoms, or who has tested positive for COVID-19, is isolated and treated in designated rooms.

“All at-risk patients on each unit have been tested. Contact tracing for patients and healthcare workers potentially exposed to these individuals is ongoing.”

AHS says on its website that all its facilities follow rigorous Infection Prevention and Control standards and practices. All healthcare workers are asked to self-assess for COVID-19 symptoms and exposure risk using a screening tool before reporting to a site for their shift, and our frontline teams are practicing continuous masking and diligent hand hygiene practices while at work.

Designated family/support persons and visitors entering AHS facilities are instructed to follow all appropriate measures. Visitation restrictions are in place to minimize risk of transmission to and from outside of the hospital.

“If you are feeling unwell, please do not visit friends and loved ones in hospital at this time,” AHS asks.

A COVID-19 outbreak also remains in effect at the Centennial Centre for Mental Health and Brain Injury in Ponoka.