Edmonton geriatric psychiatry hospital overwhelmed by COVID-19

COVID-19 cases at Villa Caritas in west Edmonton have exploded over the past nine days. 

The acute-care facility at 165th Street and 88th Avenue is made up of five units designed to care for up to 150 geriatric psychiatry patients, although currently there are 145 patients.

All five units are currently on outbreak status.

A Covenant Health spokesperson confirmed to CBC that since January 9, 115 patients and 10 staff have tested positive. Two patients have died.

With the facility at near capacity, that means about 80 per cent of current patients have tested positive for COVID-19, leaving only 28 patients who so far have escaped the virus in the outbreak.

Villa Caritas has been closed to visitors, except for end-of-life care, communications manager Karen Diaper told CBC News in an email. 

"We have also augmented patient monitoring throughout the facility, including enhanced precautions and expanding patient screening from two to three times per day."

Chief Medical Officer of Health Dr. Deena Hinshaw did not have specifics about the situation at Villa Caritas when she was asked about it at the province's COVID-19 media update Tuesday.

"Certainly we have seen some continuing care outbreaks with larger numbers of cases," Hinshaw said. "To date, we have not seen the same impact of severe outcomes that we've seen in previous waves."

Staffing has been an issue at Villa Caritas, said Bonnie Gostola, a vice-president of the Alberta Union of Provincial Employees.

"We're already short-staffed in those facilities," Gostola said.

"It's affecting client care. At the end of the day, it's really putting those clients in jeopardy…. It takes its toll mentally and physically on the staff that are kind of left behind."

Diaper told CBC that staffing at the facility is a challenge. She said Covenant Health is doing everything it can to contain further spread of the virus. 

"For most patients, Omicron has had little impact on their health; however, that is not the case for all," Diaper wrote.

She described it as a "challenging situation," adding that Covenant Health continues to follow public health orders and directives "to ensure a safe environment for care."