An outbreak declared at Bluewater Health in Sarnia right after New Year’s Day was a reminder COVID-19 is still with us five years after the first reports of the virus began appearing in China.
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The hospital outbreak is one of three listed on Lambton Public Health’s online seasonal infectious diseases bulletin, along with North Lambton Lodge long-term care home in Forest and Bear Creek Terrace long-term care home in Petrolia.
When the outbreak at Bluewater Health’s cognitively complex continuing care unit was declared Jan. 2 the hospital said less than 10 patients in the unit had tested positive.
Visitors were still permitted but asked to wear a mask on the unit, and visitors with cold or flu symptoms are asked to stay home, the hospital said.
Ontario lifted its pandemic restrictions in 2022, and Lambton Public Health now tracks COVID-19 locally by the rate of positive test results.
The latest online bulletin said 12.5 per cent of 40 local tests were positive for the week ending Dec. 28. That’s considered a moderate level, according to the bulletin.
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Across Ontario, the rate of positive tests was 13.5 per cent for the week ending Dec. 28.
“It’s difficult to compare to previous years because we haven’t had a lot of routine COVID respiratory surveillance under our belt yet,” said Amy Pavletic, manager of health promotion for Lambton Public Health. “But it’s similar to what we’ve seen in the past from a level of COVID in the community perspective.”
The local public health agency also tracks positive test results for influenza and respiratory syncytial virus, also commonly seen in the community at this time of year, and posts the information as part of its seasonal infectious disease bulletin.
Posted on the agency’s website, lambtonpublichealth.cathe bulletin is a good resource for staying informed about what’s happening locally with seasonal illnesses, Pavletic said.
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Access to COVID-19 testing in Ontario has changed in recent years.
“Being tested for things like COVID is not as readily available as it used to be in the past just because we’ve transitioned to it being more of a seasonal respiratory illness that we monitor,” Pavletic said.
Often, those tested locally are in hospital and other facilities or are vulnerable individuals who may be eligible for COVID-19 treatment, she said.
“Often times we can see, just amongst our family and friends, people might have respiratory illnesses but they’re not necessarily getting tested for it,” Pavletic said. “They’re treating it at home by resting and drinking fluids and doing what they can to get over it.”
Lambton Public Health follows up outbreaks reported in hospitals and other facilities, such as long-term care homes, with the goal of preventing it from spreading among residents of the institution, she said.
Pavletic said the agency continues to advise residents to be vaccinated for seasonal influenza and COVID-19. Vaccines are available from health care providers and pharmacies.
“If you haven’t done so, it’s never too late,” she said.
They should also stay home when sick, wash and sanitize hands often, cover coughs and sneezes and “consider wearing a mask when you’re indoors or in crowded spaces, Pavletic said.
“We would just encourage people to consider others who are risk,” such as those who are older or may have underlying health concerns, she said.
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