PUBLIC SERVICE ANNOUNCEMENT
For Immediate Release:
January 15, 2021
A COVID-19 outbreak has been declared for the Emergency Department at London Health Sciences Centre’s (LHSC) University Hospital (UH).
The UH Emergency Department remains open and is safe for patients who need emergency care, as the risk of infection for patients remains low.
Currently, there are six COVID-19 positive staff associated with this outbreak. No patient cases and no specific exposure to patients has been identified to-date. At this time patients do not need to be tested unless they are symptomatic.
LHSC is working closely with the Middlesex-London Health Unit and our Infection Prevention and Control team to monitor the situation. Outbreak control measures, including additional surveillance testing of staff and physicians, enhanced cleaning and infection control procedures, and several safety precautions for staff and patients have been implemented.
It is important that people do not delay seeking emergency care at University Hospital when it is needed. UH remains a safe place to receive care during this time. Safeguarding the health of our patients and their families, staff and physicians is of the utmost importance and remains our top priority. If you or your loved one is experiencing an emergency or serious medical injury call 911 immediately or go to the nearest Emergency Department.
For more information about COVID-19 outbreaks at LHSC, please visit https://www.lhsc.on.ca/coronavirus/covid-19-outbreak-information.
About London Health Sciences Centre
London Health Sciences Centre has been at the forefront of medicine in Canada for 146 years and offers the broadest range of specialized clinical services in Ontario. Building on the traditions of its founding hospitals to provide compassionate care in an academic teaching setting, London Health Sciences Centre is home to Children’s Hospital, University Hospital, Victoria Hospital, the Kidney Care Centre, two family medical centres, and two research institutes – Children’s Health Research Institute and Lawson Health Research Institute. As a leader in medical discovery and health research, London Health Sciences Centre has a history of over 70 international and national firsts and attracts top clinicians and researchers from around the world. As a regional referral centre, London Health Sciences Centre cares for the most medically complex patients including critically injured adults and children in southwestern Ontario and beyond. The hospital’s nearly 15,000 staff, physicians, students and volunteers provide care for more than one million patient visits a year.
-30-
