COVID outbreaks continue to pop up in Medicine Hat

By KENDALL KING, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter on May 20, 2022.

A COVID outbreak has been declared at the Medicine Hat Regional Hospital, though officials say no service or visitor disruptions have occurred, and the ER remains fully open.--NEWS FILE PHOTO

While Medicine Hat’s wastewater data indicates a general decline in local COVID-19 cases since mid-April, the city continues to experience outbreaks of the virus.

The outbreaks have primarily been recorded in congregate living facilities. Since the beginning of May, five long-term care and supportive living centres in Medicine Hat have reported outbreaks. That number dropped to two as of Wednesday, with residents of Masterpiece River Ridge and Meadowlands Retirement Residence continuing to test positive.

Larry Roberts, director of communications for Revera — the company which oversees Meadowlands — confirmed the centre’s outbreak began on March 31. Twenty residents were affected in total, 18 of whom have recovered.

The News contacted Masterpiece for comment but received no reply.

A COVID-19 outbreak was also declared at Medicine Hat Regional Hospital on May 14. The outbreak was declared in an unnamed unit of the hospital, with two patients and one staff member testing positive. Alberta Health Services is investigating the cause of the outbreak.

“MHRH remains a safe place to visit and to receive care,” AHS said in a statement to the News. “Any patient with symptoms, or who has tested positive for COVID-19, is isolated and treated in designated rooms … There are no other service disruptions at the site and all emergency services remain open.”

In total, there are 16 patients receiving care for COVID-19 at MHRH, including one patient in ICU.

AHS maintains all Infection Prevention and Control standards continue to be met at MHRH, including mandatory COVID-19 screenings for all hospital workers, use of personal protective equipment and adherence of visitor health measures.

The Medicine Hat Remand Centre also reported a COVID19 outbreak, beginning May 2 and affecting six inmates, however on Wednesday the South Zone Medical Officer of Health declared the outbreak over.

Although several of the outbreaks have been resolved and local case counts are estimated to have decreased over the past month, the continued emergence of outbreaks demonstrates the ongoing nature of the pandemic, Medicine Hat doctor and president of the section of emergency medicine with the Alberta Medical Association, Paul Parks said.

“The COVID pandemic is not over,” Parks told the News. “There is still a risk of being infected. And the risk of serious outcomes are disproportionate in our elderly and immunocompromised Albertans.”

In an effort to slow potential spread of the virus, Parks and regional health officials urge Albertans to continue taking precautions, such as frequent hand-washing and staying home when feeling unwell.