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Last updateThu, 03 Oct 2024 12pm

COVID-19 outbreak at Drumheller Health Centre acute care

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As of late Saturday, November 21 The Drumheller Mail was informed, "The outbreak now also includes the Coalbanks, or supportive living, unit where Alberta Health Services (AHS) is investigating a second confirmed case. Additionally, a fourth case has been confirmed in acute care linked to the outbreak there."

The Drumheller Health Centre is pausing acute care admissions as an outbreak at the facility has been declared.
The Mail learned late on Friday, November 20 Alberta Health Services (AHS) declared a COVID-19 outbreak in acute care at the Drumheller Health Centre. At this time, there are three confirmed cases linked to the outbreak. Additionally, there is a single confirmed COVID-19 case in supportive living at the site.
AHS Public Health is carrying out their robust contract tracing process and potential contacts are being directly contacted to encourage testing and provide guidance for self-isolation as needed to reduce the possibility of spread.
In response to the outbreak, AHS has implemented a series of temporary measures at the Drumheller Health Centre to ensure the safety of patients, residents, staff and physicians. These measures include temporarily pausing new acute care admissions, postponing non-urgent and elective surgeries that require post-operative care and temporarily diverting non-urgent obstetrical patients to Stettler or Olds.
Patients are being directly contacted to discuss postponing surgery and referrals to support in-hospital births.
The emergency department remains open and those in need of urgent care will receive it. This includes emergency births which will continue to be supported at the site. Patients who require acute care admission will be stabilized and transferred by EMS to nearby facilities for appropriate care. Drumheller does not have ICU beds, so any patients requiring that level of specialized care will be transferred into Red Deer or Calgary as per usual process. Drumheller has portable ventilators on-site to help stabilize patients before transport as needed, and mobile ventilators can be used by EMS during patient transport if necessary.
There are also enhanced visitor restrictions in place at the Drumheller Health Centre in acute care and supportive living at this time.
“The site leadership has been preparing for these types of situations since the pandemic began, and are working almost around the clock to keep staff, patients and the community safe,” said Dr. Rithesh Ram.
AHS recognizes that these temporary measures and visitor restrictions can be frustrating and that patients may be concerned about their care. These are not decisions it makes lightly or without thorough review with the Medical Officer of Health and clinical leadership.
Such actions are necessary to ensure the safety of patients, residents, staff and physicians at the facility during this outbreak


RMA elects Wheatland County Reeve to board of directors

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The Rural Municipalities of Alberta (RMA) has elected Wheatland County Reeve Amber Link to the board of directors.

RMA is an independent association representing 69 counties and municipal districts in the province. They support rural municipalities through advocacy and business services.

“There are no costs Wheatland will incur with my work on the RMA Board. There are indirect benefits in terms of having a voice and connection with the provincial and federal government, as well as increased networking and collaboration opportunities,” Reeve Link told the Mail.

Reeve Link was elected to a one-year term representing Central RMA District 2, which was formerly held by newly-elected RMA President, and Ponoka County Reeve Paul McLaughlin. District 2 encompasses 13 counties and municipal districts and the Special Areas Board, which includes Wheatland County as well as Kneehill County and Starland County.

DVSS switches to at home learning after COVID cases discovered

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Starting Monday, students at Drumheller Valley Secondary School (DVSS) will be switching to online classes as students have tested positive for COVID-19.

 Parents received correspondence from AHS late this week that more than two members of the school community have tested positive for COVID-19. This has prompted the school to switch students to online classes.

“Due to the impact on our staff and the number of students who will be asked to self-isolate, DVSS will be temporarily switching to at-home learning beginning Monday, November 23,” states a letter to parents. 

The website, Support our Students, has been tracking COVID cases in Alberta schools, and it shows DVSS as having more than two cases, and one case at Greentree School.

“It impacted so many teachers, and we didn’t have enough subs to cover, that’s the primary issue,” said Curtis LaPierre. “We had to get confirmation from Alberta Education to do that.”

 He said the teachers and students were already set up online for this possibility, and they will be focusing on core subjects for the time being.  

 According to the letter, DVSS will undergo a thorough deep cleaning before reopening on Wednesday, December 2.

“I think it is the best-case scenario because it is a large group of people in a small space. It is an opportunity to quell things pretty quickly and have the kids back in the building on December 2,” said LaPierre. 


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