New COVID-19 outbreak at Grandview Lodge in Dunnville

COVID-19 has returned to Grandview Lodge after a staff member at the Dunnville long-term-care home tested positive on Thursday.

Grandview was the site of a previous outbreak in early November, when three staff members tested positive.

The latest case was discovered during routine surveillance testing of employees at the county-run retirement home, said Haldimand County spokesperson Kyra Hayes.

The staff member is not experiencing symptoms and is currently in self-isolation, Hayes said.

Residents are being tested and are currently self-isolating in their rooms.

Essential caregivers wearing full personal protective equipment can still visit the 128-bed retirement home.

Grandview Lodge staff have worked tirelessly to protect our most vulnerable during this pandemic and will continue to do so through this most recent outbreak," said Cathy Case, Haldimand's general manager of corporate and social services.

There are 10 active institutional outbreaks in Haldimand-Norfolk between long-term-care centres, farms and group homes. An outbreak at Norview Lodge in Simcoe was declared over earlier this week.

As of Thursday, there were 158 active COVID-19 cases in Haldimand-Norfolk, a region that has added 180 new cases in the past 14 days.

Since March, 35 residents have died of the disease, with the death of five additional residents who were diagnosed with COVID-19 attributed to other causes.

J.P. Antonacci's reporting is funded by the Canadian government through its Local Journalism Initiative. The funding allows him to report on stories about the regions of Haldimand and Norfolk.