Today, the Hawkesbury and District General Hospital (HGH) has declared a COVID-19 outbreak on two of its inpatient units. HGH’s priority continues to be the safety of our patients and their families, our employees and physicians and our community.

We are working diligently to contain and manage the situation. Our dedicated healthcare professionals are following all recommended protocols plus additional measures are put into place. These include:

• Closing the units to any new admissions.
• Enhanced cleaning on the units, including all common areas on the units.

With our modern building and infrastructure, HGH has distinct zones of services that limit the movement between sectors thus enhancing safety and containing transmission. The Emergency Department, Medical Imaging, Outpatient Clinics, Family Birthing Centre and Day Surgery remain open. Patients can access these areas and receive safe care.

All visitors must wear a mask at all times while in the hospital. Masks are provided.

It is expected that everyone practises good hand hygiene by using hand sanitizers located throughout the facility and by washing their hands regularly.

To minimize the risk of further transmission of infectious diseases, the following visitor restrictions will be in place effective immediately:

• Only essential visitors will be allowed to visit patients with Covid-19.
• Visitors: If you are not feeling well, if you have flu-like symptoms or a fever, please postpone your visit.

We urge community members to follow all public health recommendations, including getting vaccinated, practising good hand hygiene, and wearing masks in public areas to reduce the spread of infectious diseases.

HGH remains committed to the health and well-being of our patients, staff, and community. We appreciate your understanding and cooperation during these challenging times.