The Middlesex-London Health Unit reported today that it has received confirmation of 14 new cases of COVID-19 at London’s Grand Wood Park Retirement Residence. The announcement comes after Health Unit staff had directed the facility to test all staff and residents as part of the outbreak management process recently put in place as a result of new guidance from the Ministry of Health. A COVID-19 outbreak had been declared at Grand Wood Park on March 31st, after two residents there tested positive at the same time. COVID-19 outbreaks are declared at long-term care homes and retirement residences once a single case of the infection has been confirmed within a given facility.

The Health Unit notified Grand Wood Park administration of the positive cases yesterday and followed up with an assessment of the infection prevention and control measures currently in place at the residence and found them to be satisfactory. All remaining staff and residents who have not yet been tested are in the process of being swabbed. Risk assessments will be conducted over the course of the weekend for all long-term care homes and retirement residences in London and Middlesex County.

“This increase in the number of cases at Grand Wood Park gives us a better picture of what is going on in some of our long-term care homes and retirement residences and actually helps increase our understanding of how the coronavirus behaves in these facilities,” says Dr. Alex Summers, Associate Medical Officer of Health with the Middlesex-London Health Unit. “Where we have declared COVID-19 outbreaks in these facilities, we’ve asked that aggressive testing be done with all residents and staff, even those who are asymptomatic. I expect this will result in more cases but will also help in preventing further spread.”

The latest guidance from the Government of Ontario limits non-essential visits to long-term care homes and retirement residences as well as patient transfers from hospitals and restricts staff from working at more than one facility, all in an effort to fight the spread of COVID-19.

In addition to recommend physical distancing, the Health Unit also recommends these steps to help prevent the spread of COVID-19:

• Avoid all non-essential gatherings of any size.
• Stay home from work and other activities if you are sick.
• Wash your hands frequently with soap and water for 15-20 seconds or use a waterless hand sanitizer with at least 70 percent alcohol content.
• Cover coughs and/or sneezes with your sleeve or cough into your elbow.
• Clean high-touch areas, such as doorknobs in public spaces, frequently.

For more information about COVID-19, please visit www.healthunit.com/novel-coronavirus or www.ontario.ca/coronavirus

Media Contact:
Dan Flaherty, Communications Manager, Middlesex-London Health Unit,
519-663-5317, extension 2469 of 519-617-0570 (cell)

Spokesperson:
Dr. Alex Summers, Associate Medical Officer of Health, Middlesex-London Health Unit