The St. Thomas Elgin General Hospital is taking a proactive approach in creating more space at its facility should there be a sudden jump in the number of COVID-19 cases in the area.
The hospital began putting up temporary tents outside of its emergency department on Friday. The tented area will provide additional space for precautions to be implemented before patients enter the building.
"It’s an additional level of safety that has been put in place to protect patients and staff in the emergency department," the hospital said in a statement.
It was stressed the tented area is not a COVID-19 assessment centre and that those concerned they or someone they know has the virus should use the online self-assessment tool from the Ontario Ministry of Health. Those suffering from non-urgent matters are advised to call their family doctor, visit a walk in clinic, or call Telehealth Ontario at 1-866-797-0000.
To date, four cases of COVID-19 have been confirmed in Elgin County. A man in his 30s who had close contact with an infected person outside of the region was the first to tested positive for the virus. He was admitted to the hospital's intensive care unit on Monday night. Since then two men in their 70 and a woman in her 30s have tested positive. The woman is in self isolation, while the two men are being treated in hospital.