Province announces 8th case of COVID-19 at Bethesda Place care home

Manitoba officials announced aneighth caseof COVID-19 Wednesdaylinked to an outbreak at the Bethesda Place personal care home in Steinbach.

The new case comes afterthreeresidents and four staff members at the centre tested positive for COVID-19 in the past two weeks. One resident, a woman in her 90s, has died after contracting the virus.

Southern Health said two residents from the care home are in hospital and all four staff members are self-isolating at home.

The Manitoba Nurses Union has confirmed that one of the staff members who tested positive is a nurse.

Provincial health authorities have not said whether the most recent case at the care home, which was announced Wednesday, is a staff member, resident or family member.

Response remains critical

All staff and residents at Bethesda have been tested for COVID-19 since Monday, said Cheryl Harrison, executive director of Southern Health. The care home is on lockdown and no visitors are allowed at this point.

"That is really reviewed every day," Harrison said. "The residents are supported in engaging with their families through other, virtual means."

WATCH | More details about the COVID-19 outbreaks at twoManitoba care homes:

Province announces 8th case of COVID-19 at Bethesda Place care home

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Manitoba officials announced an eighth case of COVID-19 Wednesday linked to an outbreak at the Bethesda Place personal care home in Steinbach.

Residents have been isolating in their own rooms, which are equipped with private bathrooms.

"That is not the usual for them to have to do," Harrison said.

"Having to isolate in their room already changes the routine and that in itself must be very concerning to the residents, so that's what we want to continue to support."

The care home has 60 beds divided into two wings. The 30 rooms in each wing are divided into units of 15.

The facility has enhanced its deep cleaning procedures and staff are also required to wear personal protective equipment such as face shields, gloves and gowns.

Staff who might have come into contact with the virus are isolating at home, Harrison said.

More staff needed

Southern Health is bringing in additional staff, including nurses and care aides, to support residents during the outbreak.

Bethesda Place is connected to Bethesda Regional Health Centre, the area hospital. Full-time and part-time staff from the hospital have been working overtime at the care home to fill the gaps, Harrison said.

"That is just extremely commendable and typical of our community," she said.

"We are just so pleased with the staff response, and that's certainly a strength and a factor to our success."

Manitoba has banned health-care workers from working at more than one facility. Southern Health said staff can only work in one personal care home. They can also work in hospital, in any community program, but must stick to one care home, a spokesperson said.

The Manitoba Nurses Union said the outbreak at Bethesda highlights the staffing shortage that's already in place.

"It's very difficult to recruit and retain in those facilities and this pandemic has just exposed that more," said Darlene Jackson, president of MNU.

"As usual, frontline staff are stepping up and they're doing what they need to to provide that care," Jackson said.

"But it's just really magnified the ongoing lack of staff and issues in long-term care and inadequate staffing guidelines that they work under every day."

Jackson said the union will be monitoring the situation to ensure nurses at Bethesda are compensated fairly and they have access to enough personal protective equipment.

Southern Health is assessing daily whether residents need to wear enhanced personal protective equipment and whether visitor restrictions can be lifted, Harrison said.