NSHN Acute Care COVID-19 Outbreak

UPDATE: Algoma Public Health (APH) has declared the outbreak over, effective May 7, 2024. Internal protective measures were maintained until May 10, 2024.

Blind River, ON: As part of ongoing, proactive surveillance and case finding, COVID-19 has been confirmed on the Acute Care Unit of the North Shore Health Network (NSHN) located in Blind River. As a result, Algoma Public Health (APH) is declaring an outbreak.

NSHN is working closely with APH to take actions to keep workers, providers, patients and visitors safe including monitoring all patients for new symptoms, closing the unit to new admissions, and implementing visiting restrictions.

Effective immediately, the following visiting restrictions for the Acute Care Unit will be in place:

• There will be no general visiting during the outbreak.

• Visiting is limited to Essential Caregivers / Essential Visitors only. Limited to two (2) visitors per day. Length of visits is not restricted unless exceptional circumstances apply.

• End-of-life patients (including end-of-life COVID-positive patients) will have a visiting plan developed with the Nursing Team.

• Visitors are required to wear a medical mask at all times, and to perform hand hygiene upon entry and exit.

Entrance to the Blind River Site.

All visitors should consider their personal health in determining whether visiting is appropriate. Visitors exhibiting signs of influenza-like illness (fever, cough, difficulty breathing, runny nose, sneezing, etc.) will be asked not to visit.

The North Shore Health Network will continue to provide updates on the status of the outbreak. Thank you for your understanding and for treating our workers with kindness and respect.

For more information on COVID-19 and what to do if you have symptoms, please visit Algoma Public Health’s website here: https://www.algomapublichealth.com/disease-and-illness/infectious-diseases/covid-19/