Health-care worker at CHEO tests positive for COVID-19

OTTAWA – March 28, 2020 – Last night, Ottawa Public Health confirmed that a health-care worker in our region has tested positive for COVID-19. Testing was done on March 25 at the COVID-19 Assessment Centre at Brewer Arena; the individual had no recent travel history. The individual works at CHEO and is currently in self-isolation and doing well.

The individual was most recently at CHEO on March 18 and has not been back. The individual works in an Ambulatory Care (outpatient) clinic, where patient care services ramped down effective March 13.

CHEO’s Occupational Health and Safety team initiated contact tracing immediately and identified three individuals who came into direct contact with the individual (none of whom were a patient or parent). All have been advised to self-isolate for 14 days as a precaution. No further action is required by CHEO staff or medical staff in this situation.

All proper Infection Prevention and Control measures are in place at CHEO.  As of March 24, everyone who enters CHEO is screened for COVID-19 symptoms and only asymptomatic individuals are permitted in the building.

The current situation in Ottawa (Ottawa Public Health)

Parent/Caregiver presence policy and FAQ’s (CHEO)