An outbreak of COVID-19 at Mission Memorial Hospital has, so far, resulted in five positive cases of the virus.
Of those cases, one was discovered after a patient was transferred to Tabor Home in Abbotsford, while another was identified as a patient who transferred to Langley’s Maple Hill long-term care facility. That leaves three positive cases at the local hospital.
None of the positive results have been staff members.
According to Dr. Martin Lavoie, Fraser Health’s chief medical health officer, neither of the patients showed any symptoms of COVID-19 when they were transferred and officials were “not even aware of any cases of COVID-19 at Mission Memorial at the time.”
Lavoie said it appears to be a “very unusual” case of so-called “silent” or asymptomatic transmission at the hospital.
The emergency department at the hospital remains open for urgent and emergent care only, while the rest of the hospital is closed to the public.
“We are in the process of testing the patients at Mission Memorial Hospital and also looking into testing the staff as well,” said Lavoie.
However, he said testing can provide a false sense of security if people solely rely on it, noting as many as 30 per cent of the tests can provide false negative results.
Lavoie said testing does not prevent the spread, it informs people of cases.
“What is really important and what makes a difference is the measures that we use, the precautions that we take and the PPE that we use. These are the things that will make a difference and will reduce or prevent the spread of COVID-19.”
