Thunder Bay regional hospital implementing 'lockdown' level restrictions
CBC
The Thunder Bay regional hospital is increasing its level of COVID-19 restrictions as hospitalization numbers continue to rise across the province.
Thunder Bay Regional Health Sciences Centre officials on Tuesday announced the facility was moving into the grey, or lockdown, phase of its internal pandemic protocols.
Hospital officials said the measures include testing all new admissions for COVID-19, ramping down clinical services, and limiting access for visitors, contractors and vendors.
As of Tuesday, the hospital had 21 patients admitted who have tested positive for COVID-19, with six of them in the intensive care unit.
The facility's medical and surgical patient occupancy exceeds 100 per cent, with intensive care unit occupancy at over 86 per cent.
The Thunder Bay District Health Unit reported 86 new cases of the virus, with the Northwestern Health Unit adding 33 cases. Both health units said those numbers are likely underestimates due to limited testing eligibility.
An outbreak at the Kenora jail has resulted in at least 34 inmates testing positive for COVID-19.
OPSEU Local 719 president Carol Frost, who represents workers at the jail, said 11 staff members are isolating either due to testing positive or having close contact with a confirmed case.
Frost described a lack of testing, and being undersupplied with personal protective equipment, as issues at the jail.
Staffing is at a 'critical level,' she added.
"We are managing through our employees working more shifts right now and some help from other institutions, with employees from other institutions that have come and are helping us out," Frost said.
"We're bare bones and we're just hoping to get through and push through."
Other correctional institutional outbreaks in northwestern Ontario include the Thunder Bay District Jail and Thunder Bay Correctional Centre.
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