4 die of COVID-19 at Clifton Manor nursing home in Calgary

Four residents of a southeast Calgary nursing home have died from conditions related to COVID-19. 

The Brenda Strafford Foundation, the non-profit that manages Clifton Manor, at 4726 Eighth Avenue S.E., confirmed Tuesday that four residents have died. It said 23 residents and 12 staff have tested positive.

"We know this will come as difficult information at what has already been a challenging time for everyone at Clifton Manor. The sad reality associated with COVID-19 in continuing care sites is that there is a distressingly high fatality rate," Mike Conroy, president and CEO of the foundation, said in a statement posted to its website.

"We want to thank all of our residents, families, staff and our community for their ongoing courage, resilience, compassion and support."

Of the employees who tested positive, six are care workers and six are members of the kitchen staff. All of the cases among residents are in the same area of the building.

Conroy said two residents are expected to be declared as recovered from COVID-19 this week and healthy staff who have been self-isolating for 14 days will soon return to work.

The foundation operates two other homes where employees have tested positive. Two staff members have tested positive at Bow View Manor and two at Tudor Manor.

A containment plan was enacted on the day of its first confirmed case and an isolation unit set up, the foundation said. Staff wear full PPE when caring for affected residents, residents are tested at the first sign of symptoms and quarantined, and enhanced cleaning measures are in place.

The foundation has also made an appeal for donations of personal protective equipment (PPE) or money to help with its COVID-19 efforts.

"We've hired over 100 staff in the last three weeks and we're just barely keeping up," Conroy said Tuesday, adding that it's a challenge to find qualified workers when staff are sick or self-isolating.

"Moreover, like Ontario and Quebec, I've made an appeal to AHS that they should start to look at redeploying hospital staff and staff from ambulatory clinics that have been closed down into the continuing care sector to provide relief."

There are 29 continuing care homes across Alberta battling COVID-19 outbreaks.