Southlake Regional Health Centre is now battling three COVID-19 outbreaks, with two additional outbreaks being reported tonight.
In total, 15 patients and 20 health-care workers are infected due to exposure to the virus in the Newmarket hospital, according to York Region Public Health.
A second outbreak affecting three patients and one health-care worker, and a third outbreak affecting two patients and one health-care worker, were both declared on Jan. 4 in two separate areas of the hospital, one with 31 patients and the other with 37 patients.
As well, 10 patients and 18 health-care workers are confirmed with COVID-19 in the outbreak in the assessment and consultation unit that continues to grow after it began on Nov. 21 with one health-care worker.
Another outbreak was declared at Southlake's Restorative Care Centre on Church Street in Toronto, with 12 patients and five staff members confirmed positive for COVID-19, according to Southlake spokesperson Kathryn Perrier last week.
"As the number of patients and staff testing positive in our community increases, our goal is to avoid a widespread outbreak. All necessary safety precautions for both patients and staff are in place, and we want to remind everyone to continue to follow public health guidelines, including wearing masks, cleaning hands often and only having contact with those you live with," Perrier said then.
Southlake had one outbreak during the first wave of the pandemic in which two patients died. Four patients and four health-care workers were infected with the virus during the 16-day outbreak last April and May.
Further details will be provided when available.
