RSV outbreaks in 3 Ottawa long-term care homes
There's another health threat officials are tracking in Ottawa and across the province—RSV outbreaks in long-term care homes.
In Ottawa the Hillel Lodge, Centre d'Accueil Champlain and Peter D. Clark Centre are listed as long-term care homes having outbreaks, according to Ottawa Public Health.
The OPH dashboard also reflects retirement homes, schools and childcare centres dealing with an outbreak classified as "respiratory infection unspecified."
"We are seeing RSV get into long-term care homes and some real concerns about it taking over the home," said Laura Tamblyn Watts, the CEO of CanAge, Canada's national seniors' advocacy organization.
The respiratory virus with symptoms that typically mimic the common cold can cause severe infection in babies, but also seniors and anyone with a weak immune system.
"It is highly contagious and we're seeing in some cases a doubling and tripling in this area now," said Watts. "It's still early days, it's only been for the last couple of weeks, but we are seeing it trend up sharply."
When it comes to COVID-19, Ontario pharmacists will be allowed to prescribe Paxlovid, a medication for those who have a positive COVID-19 test, and are primarily over 60 or immunocompromised. Previously, patients would need a prescription from a doctor to access the drug.
"We know that by using Paxlovid within five days from the onset of symptoms that we can prevent severe symptoms and our ultimate goal is to prevent hospitalizations," said Justin Bates, the CEO of the Canadian Association of Pharmacists.
About 4,000 pharmacies have been dispensing the drug but it's unclear how many will opt-in to have their pharmacists prescribe it.
New data released Thursday reveals hospital wait times hit a new historic high in October. The average time to be admitted was 22.9 hours, up from 21.3 in September. Only 21 per cent of patients were admitted within the provincial standard of eight hours.
Tamblyn Watts says the Ontario government needs to track RSV like it does the number of COVID-19 cases.
"That means families need to look at their local health regions and look online to see if there's an outbreak in the long-term care home of their loved one," said Watts. "Unfortunately, however, it's not always listed as RSV. We're seeing a lot of 'unknown' or 'other' or 'undefined."
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Millions of Canadians have been exposed to potentially toxic chemicals, and they're not going anywhere
For decades, North Bay, Ontario's water supply has harboured chemicals associated with liver and developmental issues, cancer and complications with pregnancy. It's far from the only city with that problem.
opinion How to use your credit card as a powerful wealth-building tool
Irresponsibly using a credit card can land you in financial trouble, but personal finance columnist Christopher Liew says when used properly, it can be a powerful wealth-building tool that can help grow your credit profile and create new opportunities.
WATCH Dashcam video shows terrifying near-miss on two-lane northern Ontario highway
There were some scary moments for several people on a northern Ontario highway caught on video Thursday after a chain reaction following a truck fire.
Which Canadian cities have the highest and lowest grocery prices?
Where you live plays a big factor in what you pay at the grocery store. And while it's no secret the same item may have a different price depending on the store, city or province, we wanted to see just how big the differences are, and why.
Here's what 'the hinge' move is, how to do it correctly
When you're picking something up from the floor or bending over to tie your shoe laces, you're performing "the hinge move," according to movement trainers.
Tips to make a house or apartment safe and accessible for older adults living at home
Here's a summary of tips from the U.S. National Institute on Aging and AARP, which offers a free room-by-room guide with practical suggestions for older adults living independently.
Average hourly wage in Canada now $34.95: StatCan
Average hourly wages among Canadian employees rose to $34.95 on a year-over-year basis in April, a 4.7 per cent increase, according to a Statistics Canada report released Friday morning.
'I may have some nightmares:' Man survives being bitten by 2 sharks in Bahamas
A man who was bitten by two sharks in the Bahamas said Thursday he's 'thankful that I'm here' while sharing his story of survival.
Barron Trump declines to serve as an RNC delegate
Former U.S. President Donald Trump's youngest son, Barron Trump, has declined to serve as a delegate at this summer’s Republican National Convention, according to a senior Trump campaign adviser and a statement from Melania Trump's office.