New Brunswick MLA calls for more transparency on nursing home outbreaks
Several long-term care homes across New Brunswick are currently battling COVID-19 outbreaks.
According to Michael Keating, the interim executive director of the New Brunswick Association of Nursing Homes, there are seven residents and seven staff members who have tested positive at the Dalhousie nursing home.
Since Thursday, two residents and one staff member has died due to the virus.
"The fear, of course, is the spread, and when we see two of seven in a really short period of time (it's) really quite unnerving," said Keating.
The Losier Hall in Miramichi is also experiencing an outbreak. One resident died on Thursday after testing positive.
The Drew nursing home in Sackville, N.B. has been experiencing an outbreak since mid-September after an unvaccinated staff member tested positive.
"They have been the hardest hit out of anyone in the province," said Keating.
Since then, eight residents have died due to COVID-19 and 29 residents have tested positive.
However, as of Sunday, Keating is relieved to report that after multiple rounds of testing, many residents at the Drew have recovered.
With increasing cases in nursing homes, Memramcook-Tantramar MLA Megan Mitton is asking the provincial government to be more transparent about the current outbreaks in care facilities.
Public health has not been providing any information to the public on the number of outbreaks or COVID-19 cases in care facilities.
"Sharing information is really important, for accountability and to ensure that the government’s response is adequate when there is an outbreak," said Mitton.
"I know that front line workers, nursing home workers have been working tirelessly throughout the pandemic to follow government guidelines and to try and keep residents and themselves safe."
Mitton told CTV News that she would like to see the province reinstate regular updates on the state of current outbreaks in long-term care homes.
"Information can be shared without compromising privacy to make sure that we understand what’s happening with the fourth wave of the pandemic."
Keating is also concerned that the nursing home sector could face a staffing shortage if not all employees get fully vaccinated soon.
"I’m happy to say that the numbers that we checked on from people refusing went from about 18.6 down to 10 per cent, but again, 10 per cent of 6,000 to 7,000 are still 600 to 700 people,” said Keating.
New Brunswick’s Premier Blaine Higgs recently announced that all government staff including employees in long-term care homes must be fully vaccinated by Nov. 19.
Otherwise, they will be sent home without pay.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
'They needed people inside Air Canada:' Police announce arrests in Pearson gold heist
Police say one former and one current employee of Air Canada are among the nine suspects that are facing charges in connection with the gold heist at Pearson International Airport last year.
Why drivers in Eastern Canada could see big gas price spikes, and other Canadians won't
Drivers in Eastern Canada face a big increase in gas prices because of various factors, especially the higher cost of the summer blend, industry analysts say.
BREAKING Toronto Raptors player Jontay Porter banned from NBA
Toronto Raptors player Jontay Porter has been handed a lifetime ban from The National Basketball Association (NBA) following an investigation which found he disclosed confidential information to sports bettors, the league says.
WATCH LIVE As GC Strategies partner is admonished by MPs, RCMP confirms search warrant executed
The RCMP confirmed Wednesday it had executed a search warrant at an address registered to GC Strategies. This development comes as MPs are enacting an extraordinary, rarely used parliamentary power, summoning one of its contractors to appear before the House of Commons to be admonished publicly for failing to answer questions related to the ArriveCan app.
Disappointment widespread over budget's proposed $200-month disability benefit funding
Advocacy groups across Canada are expressing widespread disappointment about the amount of funding earmarked in the 2024 federal budget for the long-awaited Canada Disability Benefit.
Earthquake jolts southern Japan
An earthquake with a preliminary magnitude of 6.4 hit southern Japan late on Wednesday, said the Japan Meteorological Agency, without issuing a tsunami warning.
opinion Don Martin: Gusher of Liberal spending won't put out the fire in this dumpster
A Hail Mary rehash of the greatest hits from the Trudeau government’s three-week travelling pony-show, the 2024 federal budget takes aim at reversing the party’s popularity plunge in the under-40 set, writes political columnist Don Martin. But will it work before the next election?
Ancient skeletons unearthed in France reveal Mafia-style killings
More than 5,500 years ago, two women were tied up and probably buried alive in a ritual sacrifice, using a form of torture associated today with the Italian Mafia, according to an analysis of skeletons discovered at an archeological site in southwest France.
Paul McCartney and John Lennon’s sons have released a single together
A new Lennon and McCartney collaboration is the last thing anybody expected.