Toronto hospital declares another COVID-19 outbreak

Toronto Western Hospital, which last week reported coronavirus outbreaks in four of its medical units, revealed on Saturday that a fifth ward within the hospital is now closed to new patients due to COVID-19.

A spokesperson for University Health Network, which owns Toronto Western Hospital, Toronto General Hospital and the Princess Margaret Cancer Centre, among other local facilities, told CP24 on Saturday that 83 staff members across its network had now tested positive for the deadly virus.

That said, 63 of those people are now considered to be recovered.

Spokesperson Gillian Howard did not reveal how many staff and patients were involved in the most recent outbreak at Toronto Western, but she did tell CBC News today that "between 70 and 85 COVID-19 patients [are] admitted for care with the virus at any given time."

In light of the most-recent outbreak, staff at Toronto Western Hosptial were told in a memo on Saturday to wear masks at all times while working, except for when eating and drinking.

Dr. Abdu Sharkawy, who works at the Dundas and Bathurst area hospital, told CP24 that he believes the uptick in outbreaks is a result of the facility's proportionately high number of tests for the virus.

"We have tended to test more broadly, more aggressively, both at UHN in general and here at this particular site here at Toronto Western Hospital, we believe more than any other hospital or institution across the country," he said on Saturday.

"These outbreak situations and the newly identified cases particularly amongst our staff are not a reflection of a PPE shortage," he continued. "We have an adequate supply right now for all of health care workers and all of our support staff and they are being reinforced regularly."