131 residents at Carlingview Manor test positive for COVID-19
55 staff members have also tested positive for the coronavirus
As of Tuesday, 131 residents of one long-term care home on Carling Avenue have tested positive for COVID-19, according to an update posted by Revera, the owner of the home.
Results from a recent facility-wide mass swabbing at Carlingview Manor showed 131 residents and 55 staff members have the coronavirus. Twelve residents with COVID-19 have died, said the note attributed to Dr. Rhonda Collins, chief medical officer with Revera.
Carlingview Manor is one of several long-term care facilities in the city that has received help from hospital response teams during the pandemic. A provincial database shows the home has approximately 303 beds.
"We are very sad to confirm that we have now had 12 residents pass away with COVID-19. We offer our most sincere condolences to the families and friends of the people we have lost to this pandemic," Collins's note said.
Families worried by increase in cases
Glenda Senack's 87-year-old mother, Patricia Oborne, a resident at the home, has not tested positive.
Still, Senack said the new numbers are upsetting.
"I expected an increase, so I tried to prepare myself for it. But I guess I wasn't totally prepared, because, yeah, it scared me," said Senack.
Senack said she's been happy with the care her mother has been receiving at the home.
Her son, Charlie Senack, also said the numbers were "alarming."
"We were feeling, I think, pretty confident that whatever would happen, it wouldn't be so bad ... but then to just see the numbers continue to increase, day after day, that was alarming," he said.
'Very sad' situation unfolding in care homes
Yvonne Temple's 98-year-old friend lives on the seventh floor, which currently has 22 cases, according to a note from Revera to families on Monday.
Temple said her friend has not tested positive, but she's still feeling "very sad" over the unfolding situation in long-term care homes across the province.
She said she hopes permanent changes are made in long-term care in the future.
"I hope that after the COVID virus is over ... that [Canadians] do not forget this issue ... we all have to realize that we are all going to be in that position ourselves one day, and you better prepare yourself for that. And do you want to be living under those conditions?"
Collins said Carlingview Manor staff are wearing personal protective equipment and have increased cleaning of high-touch surfaces like door handles and handrails.
Residents in isolation are taking meals in their rooms while others are physically separated in dining spaces. Recreation programs are being offered one-on-one, her note said.
"Revera continues to do everything we can to keep our residents and employees safe as we work to prevent the spread of COVID-19 at our long term care homes and retirement residences," she said.
Carlingview Manor is one of 23 institutions in Ottawa currently experiencing an outbreak of COVID-19. As of Tuesday there have been 66 deaths related to COVID-19 at retirement and long-term care homes, according to data gathered by CBC News.
with files from CBC's Laura Glowacki