The province is keeping a close watch on the COVID-19 outbreak at Southbridge Roseview that’s taken twelve lives.
Long-Term Care Minister Merrilee Fullerton they’re staying on top of the situation at the Thunder Bay home, as they do with all outbreaks.
“We touch base daily with the home to make sure we provide the support that they need, and our thoughts go out to the residents that are affected there,” she says.
Fullerton adds that the province is also investing almost $2 billion each year by 2024 for staffing in long-term care homes, as the Ontario Health Coalition criticizes what they call a staffing crisis.
Fullerton says outbreaks like this one don’t affect their confidence in privately-run homes. She notes outbreaks are happening at homes under all types of ownership, and they are more connected with the number of cases in the surrounding area.
“And the biggest indicator of the severity of the outbreak is related to the age of the home,” she points out.
