SAINT JOHN, N.B. -- Residents of a Saint John, N.B., nursing home are now in isolation amid an outbreak of COVID-19 at the facility. For the second time in a matter of days, there was mass testing on Tuesday at the Parkland Saint John campus after an outbreak was declared in Tucker Hall by public health on Friday.
"We had a total of 371 residents tested during the first round of testing and then we (did) a second round of testing (Tuesday) with our employees and residents as well," said Lisa Snodgrass, an infection control specialist with Shannex.
Although there are only about 90 residents within Tucker Hall itself, the entire campus is being tested.
Snodgrass says two employees and three residents have tested positive.
"Our positive residents are cohorted on one unit and it has a dedicated care team caring strictly for those residents," Snodgrass said.
All residents are now in isolation and visitation is closed, which seniors' advocate Cecile Cassista says can be challenging for both residents and their families.
"It appears they've got it under control and I'm hoping they will communicate daily to let them know what is going on," Cassista says.
But, while Parkland is seeing mass testing, the Saint John health zone is not -- a decision that some have questioned.
However, Chief Medical Officer of Health Dr. Jennifer Russell says that's because all of the cases there are linked, but wouldn't offer specifics on what that link is -- or where.
Russell also said a second assessment centre is being set up in the region, which should be up and running on Wednesday.
That one will be located on Rothesay Road, while the province says more capacity has been added to the assessment centre on Ropewalk Road.
