York Region COVID-19 long-term care death toll continues to climb

York Region continues to grapple to control several "very challenging" outbreaks at long-term care homes, with 14 more deaths reported over the last several days bringing the number of COVID-19 related outbreak fatalities to 166 today.

While 47 of 62 institutional outbreaks have been resolved, York Region medical officer of health Dr. Karim Kurji acknowledges several outbreaks have been difficult to control.

York Region Public Health issued today the first order of its COVID-19 response to have 18 residents of Woodbridge Vista Care Community transported to local hospitals, according to York Region spokesperson Patrick Casey.

Seventeen residents have died as a result of the outbreak declared May 7 at the Vaughan long-term care home, where 85 of 216 residents and 28 health care workers have been exposed.

"York Region Public Health has directly supported Woodbridge Vista Care Community on a number of occasions since the outbreak was declared including five visits and follow-ups related to infection prevention and control, enhanced testing of staff and residents and constant communication with representatives of the home. Despite all efforts, COVID-19 cases continued to increase at this facility," according to an online statement.

Another persistent long-term care outbreak is at River Glen Nursing Home in Sutton, where the death toll, at 32 residents, is the highest in the region. Another resident case has been confirmed, now totalling 87, as well as an additional health-care worker case, totalling 32, at the 115-bed facility. It was among the first of two long-term care homes that the Ministry of Long-term Care designated to be temporarily managed by a hospital.

York Region Public Health continues to collaborate with Southlake Regional Health Centre, which is managing the outbreak, Casey said.

From May 29 to 31, 14 COVID-19 related fatalities at long-term care homes were reported:

A 92-year-old Georgina man passed away Wednesday, May 27 at River Glen Haven, after a positive test May 14;
A 74-year-old Georgina woman passed away Thursday, May 28 at River Glen Haven, after a positive test May 14;
An 80-year-old Georgina woman, who was asymptomatic, passed away Monday, May 25 at River Glen Haven, after a positive test May 25;
A 91-year-old Georgina woman, who was asymptomatic, passed away Saturday, May 23 at River Glen Haven, after a positive test May 25;
An 84-year-old Vaughan man, who was asymptomatic, passed away Tuesday, May 26 at Etobicoke General Hospital due to exposure at Woodbridge Vista Care Community;
A 64-year-old Vaughan man passed away Tuesday, May 26 at Woodbridge Vista Care Community, after a positive test May 17;
A 76-year-old Vaughan woman, who was asymptomatic, passed away Wednesday, May 27 at Woodbridge Vista Care Community, after a positive test May 21;
An 80-year-old Vaughan woman, who was asymptomatic, passed away Wednesday, May 27 at Etobicoke General Hospital, after a positive test May 21, due to exposure at Woodbridge Vista Care Community;
A 90-year-old Vaughan woman, who was asymptomatic, passed away Tuesday, May 26 at Woodbridge Vista Care Community, after a positive test May 21;
An 88-year-old Georgina man passed away Friday, May 29 at River Glen Haven, after a positive test May 22;
A 94-year-old Vaughan woman passed away Thursday, May 28 at Woodbridge Vista Care Community, after a positive test May 13;
A 92-year-old Vaughan man, who was asymptomatic, passed away Friday, May 29 at Woodbridge Vista Care Community, after a positive test May 21;
An 87-year-old Georgina woman passed away Saturday, May 30 at River Glen Haven, after a positive test May 22;
A 71-year-old Georgina woman, who was asymptomatic, passed away Sunday, May 31 at River Glen Haven, after a positive test May 24.

Other institutional outbreaks that have not resolved after multiple weeks include:

Villa Leonardo Gambin, Vaughan, 11 deaths, 44 of 168 patients, 32 health-care workers, 60 days, declared April 1
Kristus Darzs Latvian Home, Vaughan, 10 deaths, 29 of 99 residents, 22 health-care workers, 52 days, April 9
Participation House, Markham, 6 deaths, 40 of 42 patients, 57 health-care workers, 52 days, April 9
Villa Colombo Vaughan Di Poce, 20 deaths, 46 of 158 residents, 24 health-care workers, 50 days, April 11

As well, Dr. Kurji noted group homes at which outbreaks had been resolved have returned for second rounds, including New Leaf The Pines in East Gwillimbury (one staff member), Participation House Farintosh in Markham (one staff member), and Reena Home Crestwood in Thornhill (one resident, two staff).

The medical officer is urging all health-care workers and staff to get tested every two weeks.

Other COVID-19 related fatalities this weekend include a 69-year-old Vaughan man who passed away Tuesday, May 26 at North York General Hospital with a close contact case confirmed April 29, bringing the region's total deaths to 209.

York Region Public Health is also reporting the second fatality due to workplace exposure, a 63-year-old Vaughan man employed at Ability Fabricators in Vaughan. He passed away Wednesday, May 27 at Mackenzie Richmond Hill Hospital following symptom onset April 27 and positive test results May 6.

The first workplace outbreak COVID-19 death was a 57-year-old Newmarket man, who died at home May 5 after being infected at Saputo Dairy Products Canada in Vaughan.

Workplace outbreaks continue to rise in York Region, with 69 workers who live in York Region infected, and others who live outside the region.

Dr. Kurji outlined the concerning spread of the virus among workers: "Workers tend to get it from the community and then one given worker may pass it to the next and then to the next. These workers then tend to take it into their families, and so you get household contacts. Some of the workers work in multiple locations, and if they happen to be infectious, they take it to those workplaces. Sometimes, workers tend to carpool and sometimes workers from different workplaces carpool in the same car. And so, if one of them is infectious, you get spread to the other workplaces."

Public health is monitoring the outbreaks, and is urging employers and employees to follow guidelines that include screening, wearing masks, disinfection policies, staggered lunch breaks, providing "good sick time practices" and, most importantly, physical distancing, Kurji added.

York Region Public Health provides a toolkit for workplaces here.

The number of hospitalized patients in York Region has dropped to 46, with 17 cases critically ill in ICU. One Newmarket resident is hospitalized, none in ICU.

As of 4:30 p.m. May 28, Southlake Regional Health Centre is reporting three COVID-19 patients in ICU, and 16 COVID-19 positive patients being cared for in an inpatient unit. The number of inpatients under investigation for COVID-19 is 31. Deaths total 20.

Of 2,434 cases in York Region: