Visits to the QEII Hospital will be limited as a measure to prevent the spread of COVID-19. Chief Medical Officer of Health Dr. Deena Hinshaw says Alberta Health Services is moving towards hospital and care centre visitation restrictions across Alberta.
“All visitors will need to be completely symptom-free and only one visitor will be allowed at a time. Children will be restricted from visiting. ”
Hinshaw adds exceptions for children visiting will be reviewed by hospital managers or nursing staff on a case-by-case basis for exceptional circumstances only.
Anyone with symptoms, or who has been tested or diagnosed with COVID-19 will be denied entry. In addition, anyone with symptoms of any illness that could be transmitted will not be allowed to visit.
“If you are unable to visit please use other methods to visit such as phone calls or FaceTime,” says Hinshaw.
All non-urgent scheduled and elective surgeries will remain postponed, although urgent and emergency surgeries will continue.
Hinshaw has also confirmed an additional case in the AHS North Zone since her last update Tuesday. The zone had its first case reported on Monday, with two more announced on March 17th.
Alberta Health Services’ COVID-19 statistics show just over 1,000 people have been tested with eight per cent coming back positive. There are now 119 cases confirmed across the province.