BARRY’S BAY, ONT. –
Three residents at Valley Manor Nursing Home in Barry Bay, Ontario. have died due to the COVID-19 outbreak.
The three residents were described as “very elderly”, with two of them aged over 95. All three residents had received four doses of the COVID-19 vaccine.
“This is without a doubt the worst outbreak we’ve ever had,” Dr. Robert Cushman, Renfrew County Health Officer, told CTV News Ottawa.
“Not only in terms of resident (and staff) rates, but also in terms of deaths. I mean we had three deaths in one day.”
Valley Manor is currently home to 74 people. As of Thursday, 31 residents were involved in the outbreak, along with 27 of the 130 staff members who tested positive for COVID-19.
“Valley Manor has been doing pretty well for the past two and a half years, and for the most part we’ve been unscathed,” said Tricia Deslauriers, CEO of Valley Manor. “However, this latest wave hit us fast and went fast and furious.”
The nursing home can accommodate up to 90 residents, but due to the epidemic and staff shortage, their intake is limited to 74 residents.
With over a fifth of staff infected, Valley Manor has put out a call to the community, asking anyone willing to volunteer to come and help. Deslauriers says volunteers can be expected to be needed for about a month.
“They all have to get their third vaccination and we will train them on everything as far as feeding the residents and wearing them.”
Combermere resident John Lynch was one of the first to step forward and offer his help to the home.
“I know a lot of people there, I know a lot of the staff that work there,” the 75-year-old told CTV News.
“I am vaccinated with two boosters, relatively healthy, a little older. But that doesn’t really matter. My God, these people, you should be there helping them. You can’t walk away from it.”
Dr Cushman says this seventh wave – the BA5 variant wave – took the whole region by surprise.
“There’s some hope that we’ll hit a plateau soon and get out of it quickly, but again, fingers crossed.”
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