After weeks of diligent efforts and stringent measures, the recent outbreak of Influenza A at the Huron Perth Healthcare Alliance (HPHA) – Stratford General Hospital has finally been declared over.
Huron Perth Public Health officially announced the end of the outbreak this morning, which had been declared on the Medicine Unit on February 19, 2024.
With this declaration, the Medicine Unit has now reopened to admissions and transfers, with Family and Caregiver Presence on the Unit reinstated.
Erica Jensen, Manager of Quality, Patient Safety & Infection Control at the HPHA, emphasized the ongoing importance of preventive measures against respiratory illnesses circulating in the region.
Jensen also said that masks that they are mandatory in all clinical areas of HPHA hospital sites – medical-grade masks are readily available at entrances and designated masking stations throughout the hospital sites.
Jensen says that mask-wearing protects both patients and healthcare workers from hospital-acquired respiratory infections. She urged individuals to adhere to masking requirements during medical appointments and visits to loved ones, including wearing masks when in patient rooms.
Furthermore, she cautioned against visiting hospitals while experiencing symptoms of illness, emphasizing the heightened vulnerability of hospitalized patients to severe complications from various respiratory infections.
Written by: B. Shakyaver