Vistor restriction at the Mental Health Inpatient Unit in Sarnia

December 9, 2016

A NEWS RELEASE FROM BLUEWATER HEALTH

 

Bluewater Health has implemented infection control procedures on its Mental Health Inpatient unit as fewer than five patients have gastrointestinal symptoms (diarrhea and vomiting). Bluewater Health has notified Lambton Public Health.

The unit currently has 26 patients and will be restricted to two designated visitors per patient to prevent further transmission as of 12:00 pm, December 9, 2016. These visitors will be required to wear gowns, masks with eye protection and gloves, and will be prohibited from visiting patients in other areas of the hospital for the duration of the outbreak. The restrictions will continue to be in place until all patients are symptom free for a 72-hour time period. Family members of all the patients on the unit have been notified directly by hospital staff.

“Whenever there is a cluster of people, particularly with the senior population, experiencing these types of symptoms, we implement control procedures to reduce the chances that others may become ill,” said Helen Shaw, Manager, Infection Prevention & Control.

At this time, positive laboratory identification has not been confirmed. The hospital has begun specimen collection from patients showing symptoms. Patients will continue to be monitored and reviewed on a daily basis. Additional procedures have been implemented at the hospital. The environmental services staff has enhanced cleaning efforts to maintain a sanitary environment and all staff caring for the affected patients will wear gowns, masks with eye protection and gloves.

To support the hospital’s efforts to prevent the spread of infection, all visitors are reminded to use hand sanitizer when coming to and leaving Bluewater Health. Individuals are asked not to visit family or friends in the hospital if they are feeling unwell or had symptoms of nausea, vomiting or diarrhea within the last 48 hours.

Members of the public should continue to come to Bluewater Health for scheduled tests and procedures. Cancelling or delaying tests or procedures may put a patient at much more risk than coming into Bluewater Health when infection control measures are in place.

The situation is being monitored by the hospital’s Infection Control Committee and Lambton Public Health. Once a decision to lift visitor restrictions is made, family members will be notified. Visiting hours for the other inpatient units at Bluewater Health’s two locations continue as normal.

Share This

Image
Sports

Forest Xtreme to represent Ontario

April 17, 2025

The Independent The Forest Xtreme will represent Ontario this week at the Eastern Canadian Ringette Championships in Quebec. They are in suburban Montreal panning for gold in the under-16 division involving teams from Ontario, Quebec and the Maritimes. Forest opens the round robin portion of the tournament with a game against the PEI Edge tonight. Games continue on Friday with

Read More

Image
News

Renewed Gladu looks for fourth term

April 17, 2025

Cathy Dobson/The Independent There was a period around 2020 when Marilyn Gladu was so disillusioned that she considered retiring from politics. At the time, she’d been Sarnia-Lambton’s MP for five years and was badly stung by a failed attempt to become leader of the Conservative Party of Canada (CPC). When Erin O’Toole won that race, Gladu says she did not

Read More

Image
Sports

Lightning win gold at OWHA provincials

April 17, 2025

The Independent Soon another banner will be on display at the Watford Arena. The Lambton Lightning won five consecutive contests last weekend to capture the championship in the Senior C division at the Ontario Women’s Hockey Association provincials in the GTA.   They defeated the Honeywood Badgers, 4-1 in the final.  Lambton had beaten Cornwall, 4-1, blanked Otonabee, 8-0, edged Waterloo, 1-0

Read More

Image
Front Page

BREAKING: Province reneges on EA promise for York1 landfill proposal in Dresden

April 17, 2025

Cites landfill shortage, US tariff threats Proposal on Environmental Registry calls for a larger landfill than York1 first proposed Heather Wright/The Independent There is shock in Dresden after the provincial government dropped a bomb shell heading into the long weekend. Saying the threat of US tariffs is threatening Ontario’s waste sector, the province has launched legislation to remove the environmental

Read More