So far, a single staff member at Mill Creek Care Centre has tested positive for COVID-19.
The region's medical officer of health has declared the south-end Barrie facility in outbreak and all 220 staff members are now being tested. Some residents are being tested, but only the 56 who are living on the second floor.
The entire Hurst Drive facility houses 143 residents.
According to Dr. Charles Gardner, medical officer of health for Simcoe Muskoka District Health Unit, the female staff member (who is between 35 and 44 years old) worked only on the second floor.
"We didn't note any breaches in control measures," Gardner said during a media briefing on Tuesday.
Based on Public Health Ontario protocols specific to COVID-19, an outbreak is declared at a long-term care home if there is a single positive test result discovered in a staff member or a resident.
"There are no known cases among residents," said Gardner. "They have, otherwise, put in place the standard control measures to prevent transmission through the facility."
According to the health unit website, one-fifth of the COVID-19 cases in Simcoe-Muskoka have been associated with an institutional outbreak.
There have been 10 long-term care outbreaks (including the one at Mill Creek), four retirement-home outbreaks, three workplace outbreaks, and one congregate setting (group home) outbreak.
Four of the 10 outbreaks at long-term care homes have involved resident cases. Of the 75 total cases confirmed in long-term care residents, 26 ended in death.
In Barrie, outbreaks have previously been declared and ended at Owen Hill Care Community, Woods Park Care Centre and IOOF Seniors Homes (Odd Fellow and Rebekah Home). Eleven residents of Owen Hill Care Community died with COVID-19.
Gardner said the case incidence in the region has been growing over the past two weeks. For the week of Aug. 16, the health unit confirmed 11 cases, which was up from the previous week (Aug. 9-15) when the health unit confirmed four cases.
Though only two days in, the health unit has already confirmed eight cases this week. Six of those new cases have been Barrie residents.
"Unfortunately, our downward trend has ended, at least for the moment," said Gardner.
He noted the reproductive number of COVID-19 in the region is currently 1.2, meaning every person confirmed positive for COVID is spreading the coronavirus to 1.2 other people. If the reproductive number is below one, the prevalence of the virus is shrinking; anything above one means it is growing.
