COVID19 outbreak declared at Segal Centre at Vancouver General Hospital

A COVID-19 outbreak has been declared on the fifth floor of the Joseph & Rosalie Segal Family Health Centre (Segal Centre) at Vancouver General Hospital after two clients tested positive for COVID-19. 

The unit is closed to new admissions and transfers at this time. All non-essential visits to the Segal Centre have been suspended until the outbreak measures have been lifted; the exception being for compassionate visits at the end of life. 

Vancouver Coastal Health has immediately implemented strict infection prevention and control protocols to prevent further transmission of COVID-19. These include:

• Careful monitoring of patients, staff and physicians

• Enhanced cleaning and disinfection of all high-touch surfaces

• Closing the units to patient admissions and transfers 

• Cohorting of staff to the affected areas 

• Self-monitoring or self-isolation of staff/physicians as part of Public Health contact tracing

• Suspension of visitors to the unit (with exemptions for end-of-life situations)