Employee at Thunder Bay Regional Health Sciences Centre tests positive for COVID-19

An employee at the Thunder Bay Regional Health Sciences Centre (HSC) has tested positive for COVID-19.

"Our Occupational Health & Safety team is working with the Public Health Unit to investigate contacts in both the community and in the Hospital. Our initial investigation has determined that there has been minimal exposure to Hospital staff and patients."

The person is said to be isolating at home.

The memo also noted 475 tests were performed at the HSC's assessment centre for COVID-19, with two patients admitted to the facility with confirmed cases of the virus.

However, test processing kits and reagents have been delayed, meaning the hospital cannot start that work, yet. 

The note also goes on to say the HSC is still working on ensuring it has necessary supplies to testing kits, as well as personal protective equipment.

PPE being collected, reused

The memo also noted that starting today, the HSC would start collecting and re-purposing N95 masks "for potential reprocessing."

The hospital said it will use the following guidelines, based on science, to re-use its PPE supply.

1. Only save masks from confirmed COVID-19 and suspected COVID-19 airborne/droplet/contact rooms;
2. Dispose of used N95 masks from non-COVID-19 rooms airborne rooms on single-use basis (i.e. TB, Measles, Variola, Varicella, and Varicella Zoster);
3. Dispose of N95 masks that are wet, damaged, or soiled;
4. Prior to donning your mask, on the outside front, write your name and work location. Mark the number of times the mask has been used;
5. Doff your N95 mask. Keep the mask intact while doffing - do not fold or bend;
6. Place doffed masks individually in a paper bag (provided). Write on the bag your name, date and work location. Fold the opening of the paper bag, without folding or bending the mask, and seal it with adhesive tape;
7. Place the sealed paper bag in the labelled collection container in the dirty utility room.

The memo said the number of times a mask would be reused was based on a reprocessing procedure recommended by Ontario Health.

"We will make every effort to return individual masks to the original user," the memo stated.

"However, this will depend on the processing method."