N.B. COVID-19 roundup: Visits cancelled at all hospitals
CBC
Visits to all hospitals across the province have been suspended, starting Friday at 2 p.m., because of the growing number of COVID-19 cases and hospitalizations.
The Horizon and Vitalité health networks announced the decision in separate news releases Thursday afternoon.
"By limiting the number of people in our facilities through visitor restrictions, we are reducing the chance of COVID-19 infecting our patients, clients, staff and physicians," Horizon's interim president and CEO Dr. John Dornan said in a statement.
Given the "continually increasing" number of COVID-19 cases, Vitalité president and CEO Dr. France Desrosiers called it the "prudent" thing to do.
Visits had already been cancelled in Vitalité's three hospitals of the Northwest Zone, as of Oct. 1, because of possible exposures, and at the Restigouche Hospital Centre, as of Oct. 4, where an outbreak has been declared.
The blanket suspension, which also applies to Horizon's other health-care facilities, will remain in place until further notice.
There are some exceptions to the visitor bans, including for the designated support persons for certain patients.