Fourth outbreak declared at Cambridge Memorial Hospital

A COVID-19 outbreak has been declared in the Inpatient Mental Health Unit (Wing A, level 3) at Cambridge Memorial Hospital.

“A hospital outbreak is declared when two or more patients and/or staff test positive for a respiratory illness that was acquired in hospital within a timeframe that is consistent with the epidemiology of the disease, and when there is a link between the cases,” said a hospital news release.

Two people have gotten COVID-19 as a result of healthcare acquired infection.

Additional precautions have also been added to ensure increased safety:

· Enhanced surveillance by increased swabbing and testing non-infected patients and staff.

· Enhanced cleaning, especially to high touch areas.

· Visits to inpatients have been paused for the entire hospital as Jan. 8. Virtual visits and phone connections for patients and families can be arranged with family in the unit.   

The outbreak in the Inpatient Mental Health Unit may be declared over after 10 consecutive days (Feb. 8) with no new infections. 

The hospital also has active outbreak in three other units:

· The Rehabilitation Unit COVID-19 outbreak was declared Jan. 4. Sixteen patients and three staff have been infected during the outbreak. The last positive date was detected on Jan. 22, which targets the earliest possible end date of Tuesday. A final swab is scheduled for Monday, however with delays in getting laboratory results, the outbreak may be declared over as late as Feb. 3.

· The Inpatient Surgery Unit COVID-19 outbreak was declared Jan. 7. Nine patients and 10 staff have been infected. The last positive date was detected on January 24, which targets the outbreak’s end date to Feb. 3, pending swabbing results.

· The Medicine B Unit COVID-19 outbreak was declared on Jan. 19. At this time, eight patients and no staff have been infected. The last case detected was last Saturday, which targets the earliest possible end date to Feb. 8, if no cases are found.