Admissions are once again paused at the Drumheller Health Centre on the acute, continuing, and long-term care wards due to ongoing COVID-19 outbreaks.
On Friday, January 7 the Mail reported outbreaks had been declared on the acute and continuing care facilities, and acute care admissions were temporarily paused-though this was lifted later the same day.
“Out of an abundance of caution, and as we have done at other sites experiencing an outbreak throughout the pandemic, Alberta Health Services (AHS) has temporarily paused new admissions to acute care, continuing care, and long-term care (LTC),” a spokesperson from AHS tells the Mail.
The spokesperson added resident transfers to other facilities have also been paused.
An outbreak on the acute care ward was previously declared on Sunday, January 2 and remains in effect. There have, so far, been a total of three positive COVID cases linked to this outbreak, and an additional 15 cases linked to an outbreak on the LTC ward, which was declared on January 5.
Most recently, an outbreak was declared on the supportive living unit on Saturday, January 22; at this time a total of 10 confirmed cases have been linked to this outbreak.
“As we monitor for any additional COVID cases impacting the facility, we have put a number of temporary measures in place, including regular testing of all staff and residents for asymptomatic cases, and are following enhanced safety and cleaning protocols across the site to help reduce the possibility of further spread,” the spokesperson says.
Inpatient surgical procedures have also been postponed over the course of the outbreaks, though day surgeries are continuing as scheduled, and is in line with outbreak protocols at other facilities.
The Drumheller Institution has also declared an outbreak with a total of 92 active cases among inmates as of Monday, January 31.
The Mail reached out to Correctional Services Canada for a response regarding the ongoing outbreak at the Drumheller Institution, however, a response has not been received at this time.
As of Monday, January 31 there are 95 active cases of COVID-19 reported in the Town of Drumheller; there has also been an additional three COVID-related deaths since January 19, with a total of nine deaths since the start of the pandemic.
In Kneehill County there are currently 85 active cases, 17 active cases in Starland County, and 82 active cases in Wheatland County.
Update: A spokesperson for Correctional Services Canada (CSC) provided an update on the outbreak at the Drumheller Institution after the deadline.
According to the spokesperson, "As of (Tuesday) February 1, there are 18 active inmate cases and 24 active staff cases. Since the beginning of the pandemic, 349 inmates at Drumheller Institution have tested positive for COVID."
Inmates and staff are offered COVID testing, and staff are required to provide a negative rapid test prior to entering the site. As the Drumheller Institution is a federal facility, employees are mandated to be fully vaccinated, and vaccinations and boosters have continued to be offered to the inmate population since January 2021.
"CSC has reviewed staff involvement in a gathering held in December 2021. It is important to note we spoke to staff following this event, and we stressed the importance of avoiding gatherings," the spokesperson said in regards to a private event which led to an outbreak amongst staff members in December.
The outbreak on the acute care ward at the Drumheller Health Centre was declared over as of Monday, January 31; however, the outbreaks on the long-term care and supportive living are still ongoing.
