Health officials are still working to contain the COVID-19 outbreak at the Red Deer Points West Living senior’s supportive living facility.
In an email, Connecting Care, which operates the facility said that 19 residents and 21 employees have tested positive since the outbreak was declared on Dec. 2.
Of the 19 residents who have contracted the virus at the facility, nine have recovered and six are still sick and in isolation.
Mark Dixon, marketing and communications manager for Connecting Care, said there have been four deaths at the facility since the start of the outbreak.
According to Dixon, one person died in hospital from causes not related to COVID-19.
The other three were designated palliative at the facility by the physician in consultation with the families.
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Dixon added that the whole community is still in isolation and they have had no positive COVID-19 tests since before Christmas.
In total, the Red Deer facility has 139 residents and 120 employees.
“All it takes is one person to be slack on the protocols and we’re in a tough situation,” said Dixon.
He added that they are doing everything they can to mitigate the spread of the virus within the facility.
“We went from masks, gloves and gowns for our care partners, to have to wear the full gear all the time, even with residents who were not declared positive, because we needed to make sure there was no spread within the community,” he said.
Of the 21 employees that tested positive, 18 have recovered and returned to work, while three remain in isolation at home.
“These folks who are working the front lines, they are just grinding away and are so focused on trying to keep the residents safe,” Dixon added.
Points West Living Stettler is also experiencing an outbreak. They have had five positive COVID-19 tests among residents and three employees have also tested positive. Four residents are still sick and one resident has died at the facility.
The provincial government announced Tuesday that a number of long-term care and supportive living facilities are still under outbreak status, with two or more cases.
In the Central zone, that list includes Covenant Care Villa Marie, Red Deer, Vegreville Care Centre, Westview Care Community, Linden, Catholic Social Services St. Neri, Red Deer, Centennial Centre for Mental Health and Brain Injury, Ponoka, Clearwater Centre, Rocky Mountain House, Consort Senior Citizen’s Lodge, Eagle Hill Lodge, Willington, Extendicare Michener Hill, Red Deer, Hillside Lodge, Two Hills, Mount View Lodge, Olds, Points West Living Heritage House, Vegreville, Points West Living, Red Deer, Points West Living, Stettler, Providence Place Daysland, Revera Aspen Ridge, Red Deer, Rosealta Lodge, Camrose, Seasons Camrose, Shangri La Lodge, Drayton Valley, The Hamlets of Red Deer, Vermilion Valley Lodge, Other facilities and settings and Kentwood Place, Red Deer.
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