Markham’s Participation House declares second COVID-19 outbreak

Second COVID-19 outbreak declared at four long-term care facilities in York Region

Yorkregion.com
Sept. 14, 2020
Amanda Persico

A number of long-term care facilities in York Region are experiencing a second COVID-19 outbreak, including Markham’s Participation House.

According to York Region Public Health, one health care worker at the centre for adults with developmental and physical disabilities in Markham has tested positive for coronavirus.

The outbreak was declared Sept. 8.

It only takes one positive COVID-19 case to deem an outbreak especially in a congregate, institutional setting, as per York Region Public Health.

This is the second outbreak at Participation House. The first outbreak declared April 9 lasted 59 days where 40 residents of the Butternut Lane centre contracted COVID-19 -- about 95 per cent of residents -- including six COVID-19 related deaths among residents, and 57 COVID-19 cases among health care staff.

At the peak of the first outbreak, the situation at the centre for adults with developmental and physical disabilities made national headlines, shining a light on staff and PPE shortages.

There were also two outbreaks at Participation House’s Fairinstosh location. The first outbreak lasted 23 days starting April 19, where one resident and three health care workers tested positive for COVID-19. The second outbreak lasted 12 days starting May 27, where one resident and two health care staff tested positive.

The current COVID-19 outbreak at Participation House brings the region’s active institutional outbreaks to five -- Chartwell Long-Term Care residence and Safe Haven in Aurora; Participation House and Yee Hung Markham Long-Term Care Home in Markham; and Villa Colombo Di Poce Centre in Vaughan.

As of Sept. 11, the second set of active COVID-19 outbreaks is among health care workers -- two confirmed cases of COVID-19 at Chartwell, one at Safe Haven, one at both Participation House and Yee Hung Markham Long-Term Care Home in Markham; and one health care worker at Villa Colombo Di Poce Centre in Vaughan.

Of the five active institutional outbreaks, four are in the midst of a second COVID-19 outbreak.

The first outbreak at Chartwell in Aurora lasted 47 days and resulted in 42 confirmed COVID-19 cases among residents, including 12 deaths, and 13 confirmed cases among staff. At Villa Colombo the outbreak lasted 56 days and resulted in 47 residents being infected, including 21 COVID-19 related deaths, and 24 confirmed cases among staff.

At Yee Hung Markham, the first outbreak lasted 23 days and there was only one confirmed case of COVID-19 among staff.