Nearly half of residents of Toronto long-term care home have COVID-19, 26 have died

TORONTO -- North York General Hospital is taking over a Scarborough long-term care home where roughly half of its residents have tested positive for COVID-19.

Tendercare Living Centre, a 256-bed facility on McNicoll Avenue had 121 confirmed cases of COVID-19 as of Thursday, as well as many as 26 deaths attributed to the outbreak.

There are also 49 cases among its staff.

The Ministry of Long-Term Care said Thursday that temporary workers were sent to the home to fill staffing gaps caused by illness and North York General Hospital will take over management of the home.

“We are deeply concerned with the situation at Tendercare Living Centre,” a ministry spokesperson said in an email to CP24. “Staffing needs at Tendercare are being urgently met with agency staff, and North York General Hospital is providing medical coverage and has entering into a Voluntary Management Contract to take over temporary management of the home.”

North York General Hospital said in a statement a team was at the home to help stop the spread of infection in the facility.

“(A) team of experts will be at the home to assist the on-site staff to manage the outbreak, provide infection control education and support and work with Toronto Public Health and other organizations who can assist us to stabilize and improve the current situation,” the hospital said Thursday.

A ministry inspection completed last week said there were “inconsistent” infection prevention and control (IPAC) practices at the home, and the inspector ordered the operator of the facility to complete IPAC training for all of its staff.

“The risk associated to the staff not adhering to the home's IPAC program would be (sic) possible transmission of infectious agents during the ongoing outbreak in the home,” the inspector wrote.

The inspector also found several examples of resident rooms not having caddies of personal protective equipment to help workers don new clean equipment, and at least one example of a worker doubling up and wearing a surgical mask and an N95 respirator mask at the same time.