COVID-19 outbreak declared on 5th unit at Moncton Hospital

A COVID-19 outbreak has been declared on a fifth unit at the Moncton Hospital — the COVID-19 unit — after three staff tested positive, the Horizon Health Network announced Thursday.

An outbreak is declared if two or more health-care workers in the same department test positive within 14 days, and it's determined the infection occurred within the hospital, it said in a news release.

"Our investigation has shown this transmission occurred in the hospital setting," it said in a news release.

In the past two and a half weeks, outbreaks have also been declared on the family medicine and palliative care unit, Unit 3600, rehabilitation unit, Unit 4400, stroke and family medicine unit, Unit 4600, and family practice and geriatric unit, Unit 5100.

A total of 32 patients and 11 staff have tested positive to date in connection with the five outbreaks.

Seven of the 40 people hospitalized with COVID-19 across the province were initially admitted for other reasons and contracted COVID-19 due to outbreaks at the Moncton Hospital, Saint John Regional Hospital and Miramichi Regional Hospital, according to Public Health. Most of these people are exhibiting "mild to moderate" symptoms, it said.

"COVID has spread is some of our hospitals through aerosolized treatments, like CPAP [continuous positive airway pressure] and Opti-flow masks [high-flow oxygen]," Dr. John Dornan, the interim president and CEO, wrote in an email to Premier Blaine Higgs on Wednesday, which the premier's office provided to the media on Thursday.

"While this is personal 'ventilation,' there is no evidence that our ventilation systems contributed to spread," Dornan wrote.

Both Horizon and the Vitalité Health Network have "taken steps … to mitigate this moving forward," according to the email. No details were provided.

"It is a reasonable question to wonder about the role of ventilation systems. We consider this, and determine actual causes in all cases of … infections [originating in a hospital]. Thus far, we have found no cases where COVID was acquired through ventilation systems," wrote Dornan.

"Horizon and Vitalité keep abreast of our systems and literature, and our ventilation is as safe as we can make it considering viral transmission worry."

Another form of personal ventilation is a ventilator, used in intensive care units, he added. "We are very [careful] that air breathed out is not shared with others."

Horizon declined further comment Thursday.

Vitalité was "unable" to answer questions Thursday, said spokesperson Thomas Lizotte. "We should be able to do so tomorrow," he said in an email.

Opposition challenges premier's 'confusing' statements

During question period Thursday, Liberal Leader Roger Melanson asked Higgs about his recent "confusing" statements regarding whether ventilation systems were to blame for the hospital outbreaks.

He argued Higgs should "step aside" and let the "experts do their job and explain the facts."

"The last thing we want during this pandemic is for people to be confused about what's going on and what needs to happen," he said.

Higgs stood by his comments, saying "there is no absolutely no conflict" between what he said and what Horizon officials subsequently said.

"There is no evidence, Mr Speaker, that ventilation systems in hospitals created any of this problem. But there is evidence, Mr Speaker, that there was in the process of providing patients with aerosol treatments. \

"So personal ventilators or respirators, Mr Speaker, caused the problem, which has been addressed in both authorities, which is the point, is — has the fault been found and has it been addressed, Mr Speaker? And we've been told by the health authorities that it has."

Melanson should be asking about more "relevant" issues, Higgs said. The Liberal leader "quit" the COVID fight when he left the all-party committee, he said. "He walked away in the middle of a pandemic."

Higgs then read aloud part of the written statement he had received from Horizon's interim CEO.

All COVID unit patients related to outbreak

Horizon said it's "working diligently" to control and contain the Moncton Hospital outbreaks and using its "expertise and resources as efficiently as possible."

The hospital has comprehensive infection prevention and control precautions, such as enhanced cleaning and personal protective equipment (PPE), already in place on the COVID-19 unit, Unit 6600, Horizon said.

Staff on the unit are being regularly tested and so far, no other cases have been identified, it said. "All inpatients on this unit are already COVID-19 positive and doing well."

There are currently six patients on the COVID-19 unit, all related to the outbreak, and one in intensive care.

Patients on outbreak units were tested on Monday, and were being tested again Thursday.

"We are continuing to test patients on other units of the hospital to ensure there are no other asymptomatic cases (sentinel surveillance); no cases have resulted from this testing," Horizon said.

Staff on outbreak units were last tested Tuesday, and will be tested again Dec. 14, "or sooner, as required."

Staff throughout the facility are also being tested.

Essential services continue

The Moncton Hospital is a trauma and tertiary care facility and will continue to provide essential services, Horizon said. Surgeries, labour and birth services, ambulatory care and professional services will continue.

The public will be notified of any temporary service closures or interruptions.

People are asked to visit the emergency department only for emergency services.

The breakdown of COVID-19 cases on each of the outbreak units is:

• Family medicine and palliative care unit, Unit 3600 — one staff and seven patients
• Rehabilitation unit, Unit 4400 — one staff and two patients
• Stroke and family medicine unit, Unit 4600 — four staff and 17 patients
• Family practice and geriatric unit, Unit 5100 — two staff and six patients
• COVID-19 unit, Unit 6600 — three staff

There have been no new cases on Unit 3600 since Nov. 26, on Unit 5100 since Dec. 2, and on Unit 4600 since Monday.