All COVID-19 test results received to date are negative for residents and staff since a suspect outbreak was declared at Southlake Residential Care Village last week.
While some results are pending, all tests to date have been negative, according to York Region spokesperson Patrick Casey.
On receiving a report last week that a resident at Southlake Village was ill with respiratory symptoms, York Region Public Health declared a suspect outbreak on one wing of the Newmarket long-term care facility, based on provincial outbreak guidance, Casey said.
The wing, 4 West, will remain in outbreak status, with residents restricted to their rooms, until all tests are confirmed negative.
All non-essential visits to the 192-bed long-term care facility on Grace Street remain suspended.
“Southlake Residential Care Village is committed to providing quality care and service to our residents. We confirm none of our residents are positive for COVID-19. We are thankful our team acted swiftly and immediately followed directives from Public Health and the Ministry of Long-Term Care to manage the suspect outbreak," said Anne Deelstra, executive director of Southlake Residential Care Village in an email statement to NewmarketToday.
The restrictions were put in place when a resident displayed COVID-19 symptoms after an outing for a physician appointment, followed by visits to several locations in the community considered "high risk" for outpatient visits of long-term care residents, according to medical director Rhea Uy in an Aug. 13 letter to residents, staff and families.
The resident’s symptoms included fever, sore throat, productive cough, lung crackles, fatigue, and muscle pain the day after the outing, according to Uy.
Residents, essential visitors, non-essential visitors, and staff who worked shifts on the outbreak wing from Aug. 11 would be traced by public health investigators and advised to undergo surveillance and testing for COVID 19, Deelstra said last week.
"All staff follow universal masking and twice-daily monitor our residents for symptoms and this process includes temperature checks. As well, all staff are screened before and after each shift for their own safety and the safety of our residents," said Deelstra. "We would like to thank everyone involved in our Southlake Residential Care Village Community for your patience and support.”
Public Health’s outbreak management team continues to work with the facility, Casey said.
If a test is confirmed positive, public health investigators will work to identify anyone with whom the resident had contact and will follow up directly with them, Casey said.
A COVID-19 outbreak was declared at Southlake Village last April when two health-care workers tested positive. The 40-day outbreak was declared closed May 19.
