Winnipeg police won't investigate Maples care home, site of deadly COVID-19 outbreak

Winnipeg police will not investigate Maples Long Term Care Home further, after officers were sent to the home last month when a COVID-19 outbreak accelerated to claim the lives of eight people in under 48 hours.

"The Winnipeg Police Service has conducted a preliminary assessment of the situation at Maples Long Term Care Home," police said in a news release Tuesday.

"That assessment has ended with a determination that no police investigation will be required at this time."

The privately-run Winnipeg care home is the site of the province's deadliest COVID-19 outbreak in a care home. A total of49 people linked to the home have died from COVID-19 as of Nov. 30, according to the province.

Winnipeg police officers in personal protective suits were seen entering the home on Nov. 7, the day after multiple paramedics were called to the home to assess a dozen patients in a single night.Two residents had died by the time paramedics arrived, 10 were treated, and three were taken to hospital one of them in critical condition.

Revera has since said that only seven of 19 scheduled health-care aides were on-site that Friday night between 7:30 p.m. and 11:30 p.m.

Manitoba Health Minister Cameron Friesenhas called an independent investigation into Maples and Parkview Place, another Winnipeg care home. Both homes are owned by the same for-profit company, Revera, and each have been the site of deadly COVID-19 outbreaks.

Parkview Place has had 29 deaths from COVID-19 as of Nov. 30, according to the province. It was previously the deadliest care home outbreak in Manitoba, before the outbreak worsened at Maples.