The Chatham-Kent Health Alliance (CKHA) reported its first death in connection to COVID-19 on Saturday, April 3, 2020.
Hospital officials offered their collective thoughts to the patient’s family at this difficult time.
“We extend our sincerest condolences to the family of the deceased patient,” stated Lori Marshall, president and CEO at the CKHA, in a media release.
“This death is a tragedy and underscores the seriousness of this pandemic.”
CKHA officials say the patient was a female in her 80s with an exposure related to travel.
The patient arrived via EMS to CKHA’s Emergency Department where she was screened and tested for the illness, hospital officials say.
Following this, the patient was admitted to hospital immediately due to severity of symptoms.
As expected, the care team followed appropriate infection control protocols and practices throughout the patient’s treatment, including appropriate patient isolation, hand hygiene and personal protective equipment (PPE), CKHA officials say.
Marshall said the hospital still needs the help of the community to combat the virus.
“I want to further assure our community that CKHA remains well-prepared to care for COVID-19 patients but we still need your help,” Marshall said.
“Please stay at home if you can, practice physical distancing, proper cough etiquette, frequent hand hygiene and self-isolation for 14 days if you have travelled out of country.”
