UPDATED: Tuesday, May 12, 2020 at 3:21 pm
Wiikwemkoong long term care home resident’s second test returns negative
A female resident of the Wiikwemkoong Nursing Home in her 70s has tested positive for the COVID-19 virus. The resident is reported to have not travelled or had contact with a known case. At this time the source of the infection is not known. The resident is listed as case 60 by Public Health Sudbury and Districts. The test was conducted on May 4.
During a Friday afternoon livestream on Facebook, Ogimaa Duke Peltier announced that Public Health Sudbury and Districts had informed the band that one of the residents had tested positive during the provincially mandated testing that had taken place at the long-term care facility in the Village of Wikwemikong.
In a letter posted online around 6 pm, the chief said that while the outbreak was discovered in the nursing home, it is not currently being considered as a community outbreak.
Ogimaa Peltier noted that the nursing home is implementing all the appropriate measures and isolation plans. “We are doing everything possible to support the affected individual, staff and all nursing home residents,” he said. “This will include the teachings for symptom tracking, self monitoring, contact tracing and proper hand hygiene.”
Ogimaa Peltier urged the community to “stay home, maintain our physical distancing, hygiene practices and most of all for us to continue to remember to remain kind, loving and supportive. This isn’t a time to be blaming. We all need to do our part to prevent the further spread of the virus into our community.”
Ogimaa Peltier suggested, if they hadn’t already, that people begin journaling to record any contacts they may have had or where they have been. “Now is the time to begin that,” he said. He said that in keeping those records it was important to include “the time and date of where you have been and who you have been in contact with.”
The chief exhorted residents to call the Wikwemikong Health Centre at 705-690-8941 or the nurse on call at 705-690-8941 if you are experiencing symptoms of COVID-19. “If you don not have any of the COVID-19 symptoms you do not need to be tested,” he said.
“We understand that this can have a big impact on individual’s mental wellbeing and may cause panic, fear and anxiety for our citizens,” concluded Ogimaa Peltier. “If you need someone to talk to, please reach out to our Mental Health Wellness team at 705-348-1937. We are urging our citizens to take this virus and its implications seriously.”
A resident of the Wiikwemkoong Nursing Home has tested positive for the COVID-19 virus. During a Friday afternoon livestream on Facebook, Ogimaa Duke Peltier announced that Public Health Sudbury and Districts had informed the band that one of the residents had tested positive during the provincially mandated testing that had taken place at the long-term care facility in the Village of Wikwemikong.
Ogimaa Peltier said the band would be providing more details in a letter that will be posted online around 6 pm. The chief noted that despite the band’s best efforts there has now been a positive result found. He noted that the band’s health team will be working to limit the spread.
Ogimaa Peltier urged the community to “maintain our physical distancing, hygiene practices and most of all for us to continue to remember to remain kind, loving and supportive. This isn’t a time to be blaming.”
