BRACEBRIDGE, ON-The potential respiratory outbreak at the Pines long-term care home has been confirmed to not be related to the COVID-19 virus.
The District of Muskoka said the tests that were looking for COVID-19 and Influenza A and B for all four of the infected residents came back negative.
A fifth resident, however, started displaying mild symptoms yesterday and was also moved to the isolation area that was prepared at the home. The resident’s family has been notified and swabs were taken for testing. While no results of the testing are available at this time, the Simcoe Muskoka District Health Unit (SMDHU) said they will notify the home when they identify the fifths ailments.
The Pines is continuing to work the SMDHU to ensure all necessary precautions are taken and protocols are followed. The long-term care home has taken measures to ensure the health of their residents and staff including restricting all visitors, volunteers and non-essential health care personnel excluding compassionate reasons, as well as actively screening all residents twice a day and the staff at the beginning of each shit.
The District of Muskoka will continue to provide updates when they become available.
UPDATE: The fifth infected resident’s tests have come back negative.