First COVID-19 death in region

The first COVID-19-related death in Elgin was announced by St. Thomas Elgin General Hospital via news release on Tuesday, March 31 morning. (press release in full below)

In a telephone press conference late Tuesday afternoon, Dr. Joyce Lock, medical officer of health for Southwestern Public Health, said the woman, who died on Monday night, was a resident of a non-profit seniors housing building in West Elgin.

She had acquired COVID-19 from a couple who resided in the same apartment building, and who had recently returned from a trip to the U.S.A., Dr. Lock said.

She urged those residing in apartments to stay out of communal areas as much as possible, and within their own units.

Asked about the conditions of other pandemic patients in St. Thomas Elgin General Hospital, she said one case had improved and left the Critical Care Unit. Other hospitalized patients remained in the CCU.

Dr. Lock said, “We are deeply saddened by this loss of life and offer our condolences to their loved ones.
“This death underscores what a serious virus this is. Each of us has a role in preventing more infection and more fatal cases.

“I’ve seen wonderful collaboration on containing the spread across Oxford, Elgin, and St. Thomas. Now we all need to double-down on our commitment to protect each other, particularly our most vulnerable.”

The health unit is urging those in their 70s or older to self-isolate at home for their own protection.

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From St. Thomas Elgin General Hospital via news release:

March 31, 2019 – STEGH is reporting its first death in connection to COVID-19. We express our deepest sympathies to the patient’s family at this difficult time.

The patient was a female in her late 80s with no travel history. The health care team followed appropriate infection control protocols and practices throughout the patient’s treatment, including appropriate patient isolation and personal protective equipment (PPE).

The safety of patients, staff and physicians is priority, and STEGH has implemented various protective measures, including:

• Ramping down all non-essential activity including elective surgeries and other non-emergent clinical activity, to help build capacity;
• Restricting all visitors, with limited exceptions on a case-by-case basis;
• Reducing the number of entrances for staff and patients and actively screening everyone that enters the hospital;
• Adhering to strict provincial safety requirements for Personal Protective Equipment (PPE);
• Erecting tented areas outside of the Emergency Department to provide additional space for triage before patients enter the Emergency Department.

As the number of cases in neighbouring communities continues to grow, it is important that we continue follow the advice of Public Health Ontario, including social distancing, frequent hand washing, avoiding unnecessary trips out of the house, and self-isolation after out-of-country travel or contact with a known or probable case of COVID-19.