Delta Hospital partially closed due to COVID-19 outbreak, seven deaths since last month

DELTA (NEWS 1130) — A COVID-19 outbreak involving 35 patients and staff has forced a partial closure of Delta Hospital, where Provincial Health Officer Dr. Bonnie Henry confirmed Monday seven people have died since Sept. 16.

“There’s a number of different factors that have led to the spread at Delta Hospital, but tragically it has, as you said, involved seven people who’ve died,” Henry said.

“Like often happens, it’s unrecognized cases that spread that cause the biggest challenge in our health care system and we’ve seen this in some other health care facilities, as well.”

No patients are being admitted to Delta Hospital, but the emergency room will remain open while all scheduled surgeries continue, according to the Fraser Health Authority.

“Due to a COVID-19 outbreak at Delta Hospital, patients will not be admitted for the time being in order to further protect them from the risk of transmission of COVID-19 at the hospital,” says a release from Fraser Health on Monday.

“If a patient needs admission to hospital for further care, they will be transported to an appropriate hospital within the Fraser Health network. The emergency department remains open for urgent and emergent care and all scheduled surgeries at Delta Hospital will continue.”

#BREAKING Outbreak of #COVID19 forces partial closure of Delta Hospital.
No patients to be admitted, but ER will stay open and all scheduled surgeries to continue.
Any new patients needing acute care will be transported to another hospital in @fraserhealth network. @NEWS1130

— Marcella Bernardo (@Bernardo1130) October 5, 2020

Staff and patients are being tested for COVID-19, while contact tracing is being conducted, adds Fraser Health.

“Eighteen patients have been linked to the outbreak and 17 staff have been identified as being COVID-19 positive, said Fraser Health’s interim chief medical officer, Dr. Elizabeth Brodkin.

“Some of these staff cases are actually community-acquired and we are actually doing that task of going through each of those cases individually to determine where that acquisition took place.”

Henry added there’s ongoing transmission at the hospital involving health-care workers, some of whom are now in isolation, in various settings.

A COVID-19 outbreak was first declared at Delta Hospital last month.

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An outbreak was also declared at Surrey Memorial Hospital on Friday after a patient and staff member tested positive for the coronavirus. The health authority said then the outbreak was limited to one unit, which was been temporarily closed.

A second COVID-19 outbreak was also declared at St. Paul’s Hospital, in the Vancouver Coastal Health Authority, late last month.

Fraser Health also confirmed an outbreak at Chartwell Crescent Gardens, a long-term care home in South Surrey. A staff member who has COVID-19 is in self-isolation at home, says Fraser Health.