Royal Victoria Regional Health Centre (RVH), in collaboration with the Simcoe Muskoka District Health Unit, has declared a COVID-19 outbreak at RVH’s short-term transitional care unit at IOOF Seniors Home.

Twelve patients and five staff members have tested positive for COVID-19. Positive patients have been either transferred to RVH’s Respiratory inpatient unit or are in isolation rooms at IOOF. All remaining RVH IOOF patients are on enhanced droplet/contact precautions and being closely monitored and tested frequently.

The outbreak is contained within RVH’s unit, a 27-bed facility separated from the rest of IOOF with its own entrance. No patients outside the unit were affected.

The unit is closed to visitors, admissions and transfers. 

“The health and safety of staff, physicians, patients and our community remains our top priority and we are working closely with the Simcoe Muskoka District Health Unit and our Infection Prevention and Control and Occupational Health and Wellness teams to conduct a full contact tracing investigation to determine any risk to other patients and TEAM RVH on the unit,” says Janice Skot, RVH president and CEO.

Any visitor to IOOF, or to RVH’s main campus, who has tested positive for COVID within five days of visiting is asked to notify RVH’s Infection Prevention and Control department at 705-728-9090, ext. 44555.