Hastings Prince Edward Public Health
Online Bulletin for Health Care Providers

March 19, 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 (including Health Care Worker Illness and Self-Isolation Updates)

Local COVID-19 Update

Hastings Prince Edward Public Health (HPEPH) has announced it’s first lab confirmed case of COVID-19 in our local area. This individual recently returned from travel outside of Canada, developed symptoms of COVID-19, sought medical care immediately and remains in home self-isolation. As of today, we have identified 72 probable cases as per the current case definitions. 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 remain 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.

• Health Care Worker (HCW) Illness and Self-Isolation Updates: CMOH Dr. Williams provided up-dated direction to all parts of the health sector on March 19. Health care partners should take note, this direction is more restrictive than prior recommendations and includes:
  • Cease all non-essential business travel
  • HCW’s who have travelled outside of Canada are to self-isolate for a period of 14 days starting from their arrival in Ontario
  • HCW should not attend work if they are sick
  • HCW who are deemed critical by all parties may be permitted to work during the 14 days if they are well, undergo regular screening, use appropriate PPE for the 14 days and undertake active self monitoring including twice daily temperature checks
  • HCW must immediately self identify to their occupational health and safety dept if symptoms develop
  • HPEPH supports healthcare organizations in their assessment and determination of critical staffing need. HCW in this category should report to their Occupational Health for direction.

• Primary Care Practice Updates: The Section of General and Family Practice released directions March 17^th to help guide primary care physicians to provide care safely during COVID-19. Specific direction included:
  • Reducing avoidable in-clinic visits – use other means such as phone and video assessments as much as possible
  • Reduce transmission of COVID-19 in your clinic using infection prevention and control strategies and pre-appointment active screening

• COVID-19 Reporting:
  • NEW – COVID-19 Reporting Form: Available on our webpage to assist Health Care Providers to report all probable and confirmed cases of COVID-19, as required, to Public Health – this includes patients being tested for COVID-19.

• COVID-19 Testing:
  • HPEPH - Arranged COVID-19 Testing – Currently HPEPH has arrangements with local EMS to provide in home testing of select probable cases based on ministry criteria. Additional testing may be completed on a case-by-case basis through HPEPH.
  • Public Health Ontario Laboratory (PHL) made changes to COVID-19 testing on March 17, 2020. Key updates include:
    • Test turnaround time has increased to four days due to current demand
    • Specimens are initially tested using real-time PCR
      • results with E gene target not detected will be reported as negative
      • specimens with E gene target detected will be confirmed using the RdRp gene real-time assay
    • Testing for other respiratory viruses can be done on same specimen collected for COVID-19 – a separate form is not required, but you must request the additional test on the COVID-19 Test Requisition Form.
    • Complete summary of changes and current practice is available at COVID-19 Test Info

• NEW - Guidance for Pregnancy and COVID-19: The society of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists of Canada provided an updated committee opinion March 13, 2020.

• Personal Protective Equipment Reminder (as per Technical Brief – PPE for COVID-19):
  • 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.

• Assessment Centers: Local planning continues for COVID-19 assessment centers. As of now 25 Assessment Centers are operational across the province.

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.

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. Hours Monday – Friday 8:30 am – 8:30 pm; Saturday and Sunday 8:30 am - 4:30 pm.

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

You have received this email at kamran.khani@hpeph.ca from Hastings Prince Edward Public Health as a result of a request you have made or due to a service/subscription that you are registered for. While you may discontinue your subscription to this mailing at any time by pressing the unsubscribe button below, please note that this bulletin will be used to provide important updates about infectious and communicable disease.