KENORA — The Lake of the Woods District Hospital is taking measures for mandatory masking to protect patients and staff from numerous respiratory illnesses including an outbreak of COVID-19.
The outbreak is in the MedSurg 3E/intensive care unit area of the hospital, but the entire hospital is under a masking policy to avoid spreading infection. This includes all public areas like hallways, nursing stations and waiting areas. They aim to keep hospital staff healthy and patients from acquiring further illness or cause complications to treatment.
The hospital is seeing an increase of influenza A and B, RSV and COVID-19.
Visitors to that area of the hospital are being restricted and will continue to be so until the hospital determines it’s safe. Patients who are receiving end of life care or other extenuating circumstances will be the exception to the rule and may be allowed visitors.
The masking mandate takes effect immediately and will go on until the hospital declares the is outbreak over. More details to come.
