An influenza outbreak has been declared at Hotel-Dieu Grace Healthcare.
There are now two confirmed cases and 13 suspected cases of influenza a in the west end facility. As a result, the hospital is not accepting any new patients into the two outbreak areas.
“It is our intent to open units as quickly as possible so we don't impede flow across system,” says hospital CEO Janice Kaffer.
Kaffer says the outbreak is also affecting patient transfers from Windsor Regional Hospital.
“The system implications of that can be significant,” says Kaffer. “The ER department at Windsor Regional will get busier if cant clear patients to come here and they don’t have beds. There can be ripple effects.”
Visitor restrictions are in place. Individuals with flu like symptoms such as fever, runny nose, cough or muscle aches are asked to avoid the hospital until all symptoms are gone. Children under 14 are restricted from attending the affected area of the Emara building.
A number of long-term care facilities are also dealing with outbreaks. In total, there are 56 confirmed cases of the flu in Windsor-Essex. It's early in the flu season, so health officials expect to see many more cases and they say the flu shot is still the best defence.
At Windsor Regional Hospital, CEO David Musyj said in an email to CTV News, “from the community we had 14 patients since early December come to the emergency department with influenza systems and be tested/treated and released.”
He says WRH has had no influenza cases created while a patient is in either of its campuses.
By the end of last year, the health unit distributed more than 140,000 doses of the flu vaccine in the community, 10 per cent more than the previous year.
