Covid-19 Outbreaks in Long-Term Care Homes and Retirement Homes

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:

  • Two or more patient/resident cases of acute respiratory infections (ARI)with symptom onset within 48 hours and an epidemiological link (e.g., same unit/floor/service area) suggestive of transmission within the setting AND testing is not available or all negative. 

Confirmed COVID-19 Outbreak:

Two or more patient/resident cases of test-confirmed acute respiratory infections (ARI)2 with symptom onset within 48 hours and an epidemiological link (e.g. same unit/floor/service area) suggestive of transmission within the setting.

OR

Three or more patient/resident cases of ARI with symptom onset within 48 hours and an epidemiological link suggestive of transmission within the setting AND testing is not available or all negative.

Client Case Definition:

  • Two or more new symptoms for the individual.

Clinical Compatible Signs & Symptoms:

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

For more information, refer to Ministry of Health and Long-term OPHS Infectious Disease Protocol – Appendix 1: Case Definitions and Disease-Specific Information: Respiratory Infection Outbreaks in Institutions and Public Hospitals, September 2024 and Appendix 1: Case Definitions and Disease-Specific Information Disease: Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) October 2024

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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Infectious Disease Prevention