Southlake Regional Health Centre is assisting with the testing required for a Bradford long-term care home where three COVID-19 related deaths have occurred.
After reporting today that another resident of Bradford Valley Care Community had died, Dr. Charles Gardner, medical officer of health for Simcoe Muskoka District Health Unit, said that the facility's medical director had requested testing of all residents and employees.
“We are testing everybody at that facility,” Gardner said. “That will result in over 500 people being tested.”
Gardner said Bradford Valley is working with the assessment centre at Southlake.
Southlake is also standing by to provide staffing resources for the facility if necessary, he added.
The province announced its COVID-19 Action Plan: Long-Term Care Homes today, which includes "aggressive" testing, screening and surveillance, as well as redeploying staff from hospitals and home and community care to support the long-term care home workforce and respond to outbreaks, according to a government news release.
"We will do everything we can to protect our seniors and most vulnerable citizens because we all know they are most at risk during this pandemic," said Premier Doug Ford.
— With files from Debora Kelly
