Hastings Prince Edward Public Health
Online Bulletin for Health Care Providers

March 17, 2020

From:
Dr. Piotr Oglaza
Medical Officer of Health & CEO
Hastings Prince Edward Public Health

In this Issue:

  1. Local COVID-19 Update
  2. Recommendation and Guidance Updates:
  3. Enhanced Public Health Measures for COVID-19

Local COVID-19 Update

At present there have been 8 lab confirmed cases of COVID-19 among the quarantine individuals at Canadian Forces Base (CFB) Trenton. All infection prevention and control protocols have been followed during the quarantine of the travellers repatriated from the Grand Princess cruise ship.

There have been no lab confirmed COVID-19 cases in our local community; however, Hastings Prince Edward Public Health (HPEPH) has identified 47 probable cases as per the current case definitions. We are currently testing select probable cases for local surveillance purposes. We continue to follow direction from Ontario Ministry of Health (MOH) and Public Health Agency to implement infection prevention and control strategies and enhanced public health measures to minimize the spread of COVID-19 within our community.

Recommendation and Guidance Updates

  • Case Definitions – Case definitions are current as of last update March 13, 2020 (updated case definitions are expected shortly). Current list of impacted areas can be found on our Public Health website.
  • HCP and Health Care Entities must adopt Public Health Ontario’s Technical Brief “Updated IPAC Recommendations for use of Personal Protective Equipment for Care of Individuals with Suspect or Confirmed COVID-19”. Of note:
    • Droplet and Contact Precautions are recommended for routine care of patients with suspected or confirmed COVID-19
    • Airborne precautions should be used when aerosol generating medical procedures (AGMP) are planned or anticipated to be performed on patients with suspected or confirmed COVID-19. The collection of a Nasopharyngeal swab is not considered an AGMP.
  • HCP and Health Care Entities must adhere to the COVID-19 Directive #1 issued under the HPPA
  • Assessment Centers – Planning is underway with our acute and community care partners to implement COVID-19 assessment centers and community testing. As of now 25 Assessment Centers are operational across the province.
  • Primary Care Screening – HPEPH is strongly requesting primary care providers continue to use clinical judgement and offer appointments for all their patients who require assessment and do not meet COVID-19 risk criteria (e.g. newborn assessments). Screen patients via phone and if not deemed COVID-19 risk consider triaging and booking appointment in office for patient as usual. Urgent requests from Public Health such as vaccine orders for your practice will continue to be fulfilled on a case by case basis.
    • COVID-19 risk criteria include:
      • Travel outside of Canada in last 14 days
      • Close contact with a confirmed or probable case of COVID-19
      • Close contact with a person with acute respiratory illness who has been to an impacted area
  • Health care providers are required to immediately report all probable and confirmed cases of COVID-19 to HPEPH at 613-966-5500 – this includes patients being tested for COVID-19.
  • Refer patients to Public Health website and our COVID-19 intake line at 613-966-5500 for COVID-19 screening and up-to-date information.
  • COVID-19 Testing – No changes to testing recommendations since last update. Persons with mild symptoms and travel history should self-isolate for a minimum of 14 days and until 24 hours symptom-free. Testing can be considered in probable cases who meet the existing Ontario Ministry of Health criteria (please note these are subject to change frequently
    • Individuals admitted to hospital with acute respiratory illness
    • Health care workers with acute respiratory illness
    • Other vulnerable populations (individuals with ARI who reside in long-term care homes and retirement homes)
    • Individuals with ARI who reside in other institutions with unavoidable close contact (university and college residences and Corrections services)
    • First Nation Community members living on-reserve with acute respiratory illness

Enhanced Public Health Measures for COVID-19

Chief Medical Officer of Health, Dr. David Williams, has implemented several enhanced public measures for community members, health systems organizations and providers and most recently enacted a declaration of emergency issuing closure orders for several organizations and businesses. Ministry of Health Memorandums are available the Ontario Ministry of Health website.

HPEPH has closed our doors to the public; however, we remain dedicated in protecting our community and providing local HCPs and our community with new information as it becomes available. Current information on COVID-19 specifically for health care providers can be found at hpePublicHealth.ca, Ontario Ministry of Health and at publichealthontario.ca.

For more information, you may also contact our dedicated COVID intake line at 613-966-5500. Phone calls are being answered 7 days a week from 8:30-4:30.

Back to Summary

Contact Information: 

To give us your comments: socialmedia@hpeph.ca

To report communicable diseases:613-966-5500 x349

To report AEFI or DOPHS: Online / Fax - 613-966-1813 or CDCFAX1@hpeph.ca

Health Bulletin Editors: Kamran Khani

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