Jeffery Hale Hospital officials baffled by uncontrolled COVID-19 outbreak that has killed 27, so far

An outbreak of COVID-19 in the long-term care wing of Quebec City's Jeffery Hale Hospital has claimed the lives of 27 residents since it was declared at the end of March, and public health officials say they're not sure why the virus continues to spread.

Three of those people died Tuesday.

Fifty-seven residents on the wing are infected, and 65 employees at the hospital, which provides services in both French and English, have tested positive for the virus. 

"We don't understand why the transmission continues," said Dr. François Desbiens, the director of public health for the National Capital region.

He said his agency's investigation into the outbreak continues, but despite infection-control efforts, new cases continue to appear. 

Desbiens said there have been no new admissions to the hospital since the outbreak began, so the virus is being transmitted from residents to health-care workers, or vice versa. 

Staffing an issue

In early April, the CSN-Chaudière Appalaches, which represents some workers at the hospital, said too many personnel from other institutions were being sent to work shifts at the Jeffery Hale, increasing the contagion risk.

On April 17, a group of doctors who work on the long-term wing sent an open letter to the regional health agency, calling for immediate reinforcements.

They said the short-staffing crisis was putting undue pressure on those left working.

Desbiens said the staffing situation has stabilized, so now there are dedicated personnel on each floor of the hospital — a measure he said is key to stopping virus transmission within the institution.

"We have enough people," said Desbiens. "We have all the protective equipment to give to the persons who work there."

Aside from making sure there are enough masks, gloves, gowns and eye protection for employees, he said, nurses specialized in infection control have been making sure everyone is properly trained in best practices.

Jean-François Richard, program manager at the Jeffery Hale, told CBC that the hospital administration has been doing everything recommended by infection control experts.

''We've been putting all the measures in place in regards to the prevention and control of infection. We're going through the work as it's required, and we're still seeing some cases pop up," said Richard.

"All of the people involved at the Jeffery Hale are really speechless at how it can keep going on like this, while we're putting in so much effort to prevent it.''

Incubation period

Desbiens said one of the challenges right now is that the virus is now present on the hospital's sixth floor, home to residents with cognitive decline. Infection control is more difficult in that population, with any type of outbreak, he said.

"Sometimes they are walking around the floor, and they can enter different rooms and easily transmit the disease when they have it. It's more difficult in that kind of situation to have a good control of the virus," he said.

Desbiens said public health officials meet every two days with administrators at the Jeffery Hale to discuss the situation and to adjust measures as necessary.

The outbreak won't be considered under control until two incubation periods go by with no new cases. 

''The incubation period is around seven to 10 days — so we want to have 14 to 20 days without any new cases to be able to declare the outbreak is over," he said.