Published On: March 24, 2020
St. Thomas Elgin General Hospital Confirms First Case of COVID-19
On March 23, Southwestern Public Health announced the first positive case of COVID-19 in Elgin County. A male in his 30s had tested positive for COVID-19 after close contact with someone outside the region who has the virus. The individual was medically assessed, tested and released by London Heath Sciences Centre, and had been in self-isolation at home.
Last night, this individual contacted EMS and with all appropriate notifications and precautions, he arrived at STEGH by ambulance and was admitted to the ICU. STEGH took all the necessary precautions to ensure the safety of other patients, staff and physicians.
“Having a confirmed case in our hospital is not unexpected given the transmission of this virus globally,” says Robert Biron, President and CEO. “Our health care team was ready for the presentation of COVID- 19, and demonstrated the effectiveness of our planning, precautions and protocols.”
The Ontario Government has launched an online self-assessment tool that takes the public through a series of questions to inform those who are concerned they may have contracted COVID-19. In a matter of seconds, this tool will help people determine if they are negative or it will provide them with guidance on where to seek care based on their needs. https://covid-19.ontario.ca/self-assessment/#q0