Southwestern Public Health Reporting 7 COVID-19 Related Deaths in the Past 24 Hours

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Tuesday, 5 January 2021 at 11:44

We have reached a critical point in the battle with COVID-19 in Oxford County. Hospitals are nearing capacity and we currently have 90 staff and residents who have tested positive for COVID-19 at Maple Manor in Tillsonburg.

TILLSONBURG - We have reached a critical point in the fight against COVID-19 in Oxford County.

Southwestern Public Health is reporting 7 COVID-19 related deaths over the past 24 hours. The situation at Maple Manor in Tillsonburg has gone from bad to worse. As of today they currently have 35 staff members and 55 residents who have tested positive for COVID-19. 4 residents from the home have passed away. President of Maple Manor George Kanuik says the situation at Maple Manor right now is tragic.

"More than 90 people call Maple Manor home, and four of them have lost their lives. It is devastating. Knowing 51 more are right now living with COVID is heartbreaking to me. We also have 35 staff who have been infected.
want to thank the health care partners in this community who are working closely with us to ensure the continued care of our residents and safety of staff during this challenging time."

Southwestern Public Health is urging the community to come together to protect each other from the spread. Local Medical Officer of Health Dr. Joyce Lock is asking everyone to download the COVID Alert App
to get a notification if they may have been exposed to COVID-19 and what steps to take.

"Maple Manor is in an outbreak, but this home is not an island. Outbreaks like this reflect what's happening across our region. We have many cases in our communities, not enough people are isolating when they have symptoms or test positive, and we need everyone to stop having close contact with people they do not live with."

Local hospitals have also reached a critical point in the battle against COVID-19. The hospitals have experienced an increase in cases, directly related to the Maple Manor and PeopleCare outbreak in Tillsonburg and Tavistock. CEO of the Tillsonburg District Memorial Hospital Sandy Jansen says capacity is stretched to the limit.

"It is critical that people who require hospital care can receive it. While capacity is stretched to the limit, our Emergency Department remains open, please don’t wait to seek care if you need it. We need everyone’s help to lower local cases so that we can care for COVID-19 patients and other emergencies in our region."

Jansen adds they are keeping the long term care home staffed during this outbreak.

"As far as keeping the home staffed, we have an incredibly collaborative effort between the Tillsonburg District Memorial Hospital staff, Woodstock Hospital Staff, LHIN staff and as well agency staff. So we have about 25 people deployed into that home at any given time to help support that staff and to care for those patients safely."

Visitors who provide essential care for residents are asked use caution during visits to LongTerm Care facilities in the region:

- Avoid visiting if sick, even if symptoms are mild
- Follow public health measures at all times during visits
- Stay 6 feet or more away from individuals in the home
- Avoid all close contact with people from outside your household, to avoid unknowingly contracting the virus and infecting Long-Term Care Home residents

You can listen to the prepared statement from Dr. Lock below: