COVID-19

The Ontario Ministry of Health and Long-Term Care have set case definition criteria for outbreaks:

COVID-19 Outbreak in LTCH/RH and Other Congregate Living Settings

Suspect COVID-19 Outbreak:

  • One positive PCR OR Rapid molecular test (NAAT) OR Rapid antigen test (RAT) in a resident/patient who has reasonably acquired their infection in the setting.

Confirmed COVID-19 Outbreak:

Two or more residents/patients who are epidemiologically linked (e.g. within a specified area/unit/floor/ward) both with positive results from a PCR test OR rapid molecular test (NAAT) OR rapid antigen test (RAT) within a 7-day period where both cases have reasonable acquired their infection in the setting.

Client Case Definition:

  • Two or more new symptoms for the individual.

Clinical Compatible Signs & Symptoms:

  • Fever/abnormal temperature
  • Dry coughd
  • Productive cough
  • Headached
  • Nasal congestion
  • Congestion/sneezing
  • Sore Throat/hoarseness
  • Muscle aches
  • Malaise/fatigue

For more information, refer to Ministry of Health and Long-term Care Appendix 1: Case Definitions and Disease-Specific Information, Disease: Disease caused by novel coronavirus, including Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19), Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome (SARS) and Middle East Respiratory Syndrome (MERS), May 2023 or as current.

How to report a COVID-19 related deaths? 

Any death where COVID-19  is a contributing factor as the cause of death, should be reported in COVID-19 cases where there is no clear alternative cause of death (e.g., trauma, drug toxicity, other natural death process, at a time that the person was COVID-19 test positive but did not have a clinically compatible illness), and the death occurred under one of the following circumstances:

  • The case was still symptomatic or infected at the time of death.
  • The case was experiencing residual effects or complications of infection that persisted.
  • The case is a child that was experiencing multi-system inflammatory syndrome (MIS-C) which can occur after resolution of initial COVID-19 signs and symptom.

Using information from the Medical Certificate of Death, please complete the COVID-Related Death Reporting Form.

Information and Resources for COVID-19

Guidance Documents for Health Care Providers

Guidance Documents for Long-Term Care and Retirement Homes

Guidance Documents for Congregate Living Settings

COVID-19 Vaccine Information

COVID-19 Screening and Assessment

Covid-19 Testing

Routine Auditing

Additional Resources

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