ALMONTE – Almonte’s Country Haven long-term care facility has been hit hard with a COVID-19 outbreak with two deaths and at least 20 of the 82 residents stricken with the deadly disease.

The Leeds, Grenville and Lanark District Health Unit (LGLDHU) declared a COVID-19 outbreak at the home on March 29 after three residents and a staff member tested positive for COVID-19. Since that time, more than 20 people have been confirmed with the disease.

Almonte Country Haven says initially, the health unit was only testing residents with symptoms due to a shortage of swabs across Canada.

“Since that time, public health actually made the decision to come and swab any of our residents with respiratory symptoms on April 3,” Almonte Country Haven administrator Carolyn Della Foresta said.  “On April 4, we did receive word of several of those swabs, and we do have many residents at this time who are affected by COVID-19.”

All residents of Almonte Country Haven are now in isolation, but half of the residents are living four to a room.

“We are an older home, we’re actually 39 years old at this time, and so that said, we’re built to the design standards of the 1970s, so we are a home that is constructed with the basic four-bed basic wards, we also have semi-private rooms and private rooms here,” Della Foresta said. “Approximately 50 per cent of our residents are in what’s called ward accommodation.”

Della Foresta says the long-term care home has a good supply of personal protective equipment, and all staff are using it.

“All of our staff are utilizing all proper infection control procedures, we have a very large supply of personal protective equipment,” said Della Foresta. “Our staff have to wear gloves, gown, mask and a visor to provide any resident care whatsoever. Staff from all departments making sure the safe delivery of care, that we’re doing our best to be with every one of our residents, and we are recognizing when the time is near, and we can do everything we can to be with our residents, and hold their hands when families are not able to.”

According to the Ontario Ministry of Health COVID-19 report yesterday (April 7), there are 73 confirmed cases of COVID-19 in the Leeds, Grenville and Lanark District Health Unit region.