Lakeshore Care Centre saw 21 residents die due to complications with COVID-19 — the deadliest of any across the Tri-Cities during the pandemic to date.
After a little more than a year since, another outbreak has been declared for the Coquitlam long-term care facility.
Fraser Health says 15 lab-confirmed infections of the virus have been found leading to the alert issued Wednesday evening (Jan. 19), including 12 residents and three staff members.
The authority says everyone at Lakeshore — located at 657 Gatensbury St. — is currently self-isolating at their homes.
"Fraser Health has worked with the sites to support the implementation of enhanced control measures," reads a statement about the latest outbreak.
"Fraser Health is also working with the sites to identify anyone who may have been exposed, and is taking steps to protect the health of all staff, residents and families."
In addition to the 21 deaths, the Coquitlam facility recorded 75 cases, 43 residents and 32 staff, during its first outbreak of COVID-19 between Dec. 4, 2020, and Jan. 8, 2021.
Lakeshore had 56 beds at the time, meaning 38 per cent of its residents succumbed to the virus.
The following measures have since been implemented for the second known outbreak declared this week:
- Staffing levels are being supported to maintain resident care.
- Social visits are restricted in the affected areas of the facility. Essential visits can continue.
- Staff and residents movement in the affected areas of the facility has been modified to minimize exposure to others.
- Cleaning and infection control measures have been further enhanced.
- Residents, families and staff are being notified.
- Twice a day screening of all staff and residents is taking place.
- Additional testing and screening is in place to support monitoring of disease control.
Lakeshore Care Centre is owned and operated by The Care Group, which services related facilities in the Lower Mainland, Fraser Valley and Vancouver Island.
On Tuesday (Jan. 18), Fraser Health declared the COVID-19 outbreak over within the elder acute-care unit at Port Moody's Eagle Ridge Hospital, nearly a week after the alert ended at Port Coquitlam's Hawthorne Lodge.
No other declarations are currently in place.
As of this publication (Jan. 20), 76 per cent of eligible seniors 70 years and older in the Tri-Cities have requested and received a third dose of vaccine against COVID-19 according to the BC Centre for Disease Control (BCCDC).
Meanwhile, 54 per cent of regional children between the ages of five and 11 have been vaccinated with their first dose against COVID-19 — the fourth-highest in Fraser Health.
The Tri-Cities also has a 91 per cent double-vaccination rate among those aged 12 and up, as well as a 93 per cent single-dose rate.
