A COVID-19 outbreak has been declared at Minoru Residence after two residents tested positive for the virus.
Vancouver Coastal Health released a statement Wednesday morning saying the outbreak is on the 2 West unit, which is now closed to new admissions and transfers and all group activities have been suspended.
The health authority said outbreak precautions have been implemented in the unit, including contact tracing, monitoring of residents, staff and physicians and cohorting of staff to the infected areas.
It's not known if either of the residents who tested positive had been vaccinated.
"VCH does not provide information on the vaccination status of staff members or patient cases associated with an outbreak," the health authority told the Richmond News.
Vaccination rates for long-term care facilities across its region "remain high," according to VCH, which added that new residents or staff, or those who may have previously declined a shot, are offered the vaccine at "every opportunity."
Visits to 2 West have also been suspended until outbreak measures are lifted, the exception being for essential care or compassionate visits at the end of life.
According to VCH, there are currently no requirements for visitors to be vaccinated before entering a long-term care facility.
This isn’t the first time an outbreak has been declared at Minoru Residence.
An outbreak lasting more than seven weeks, from Dec. 21, 2020 to Feb. 8, 2021, infected 77 people including 66 residents and 11 staff. During that outbreak, 17 residents passed away from COVID-19.
