Stronger restrictions at Ross for visiting patients as hospital grapples with COVID outbreak

Ross Memorial Hospital was declared in a facility-wide COVID-19 outbreak today by the Haliburton, Kawartha, Pine Ridge District (HKPR) Health Unit.

Further visiting restrictions have been put in place to prevent transmission of the virus and to protect staff and patients.

In addition to passing COVID-19 symptom screening, visitors will only be allowed into the hospital to see patients in the following scenarios:

• Patients who are near end-of-life (within weeks).
• Patients who are under 18 years of age (supported by parents or legal guardians).
• Patients requiring a support person when:

o    receiving a life-altering diagnosis,

o    experiencing a mental health crisis, or

o    they are developmentally or intellectually delayed.

• Patients requiring a support person to safely attend their appointment.

o    For example, due to dementia, significant developmental or intellectual delay, the inability to effectively communicate, mobility issues that cannot be supported by the health-care team, etc.

• Patients giving birth at the hospital (supported by birthing partner).

Individuals who require emergency medical care should still be accessing the hospital’s Emergency Department.