Staff at the Meno Ya Win Health Centre in Sioux Lookout stress precautions, including a separate COVID-19 unit, continue to be in place to keep people safe.
Officials say over the past few days, three people have been admitted to the hospital who tested positive for the virus and there are five positive cases that have been identified outside the hospital setting.
The hospital is working with the Sioux Lookout First Nations Health Authority and Northwestern Health Unit to ensure required testing and isolation protocols are carried out.
Visitor restrictions and screening at the entrance remain in place.
They include:
-One essential care partner for Integrated Pregnancy Program clients, laboring patients and obstetrical inpatients
-One essential care partner for pediatric patients
-One essential care partner for patient having same-day surgical procedure
-One support person for critically ill patient or patients requiring decision-making/planning for transfer
-One essential care partner for palliative patient
-Imminently palliative patient at end of life:
1. Immediate family only (parent, spouse, children, sibling)
2. Two family members may visit at one time (this restriction may be adjusted based on the
situation)
3. Family approved to stay with patient overnight in accordance with 1 & 2
President and CEO Heather Lee says “As we slowly ramp-up services, we are required to review the parameters set out by the ministry on a weekly basis. If parameters are not met, of if we see an increase in COVID cases or cause for alarm, we will ramp down services. This is a time to be conscientious along our journey back to providing all of our services and getting back to normal with an understanding that our new normal may look a little different when this pandemic is over. Whatever our new normal looks like, it will always honour our values of compassion, respect, quality and teamwork.”
