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One resident at the Chartwell Malaspina long-term care home tested positive for COVID-19. (Chartwell)
outbreak

COVID-19 outbreak declared in Nanaimo long-term care home

Dec 27, 2020 | 8:32 PM

NANAIMO – A COVID-19 outbreak has been declared at a Nanaimo long-term care home for the first time.

Island Health announced late on Sunday, Dec. 27 one resident at the Chartwell Malaspina Care Residence tested positive for COVID-19.

The outbreak is limited to one unit on the first floor. Admissions, transfers and visits to the site have ceased for now.

“The resident who tested positive will be isolated to their room and the affected unit will be isolated from the rest of the building,” the release said.

Though it’s only one case, any confirmed exposure within a health care setting is considered an outbreak.

Island Health said staff at Malaspina are being worked with to determine who else may have been exposed.

This is the first care-home outbreak in Nanaimo, following several school exposure events in the fall and at NRGH.

The latest Island Health data showed there were 22 active COVID-19 cases in the central Vancouver Island area, which includes Nanaimo and the Oceanside region.

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