Hotel-Dieu physician has developed COVID-19 symptoms, is self-isolating at home

A Hotel-Dieu Grace Healthcare physician working in psychiatry has developed coronavirussymptoms and is currently self-isolating at home.

The physician in question is being tested, though it will take at least 24 hours to receive thetest results.

Speaking to reporters on Thursday, Hotel-Dieu Grace Healthcare president and CEO Janice Kaffersaid eight patients have come into contact with the physician, adding that all eight patients have been informed.

She added that22 staff members who came into contact with this physician have been sent home. These staff members are also self-isolating until Hotel-Dieu Grace receives the physician's test results.

Kaffer said the physician returned on the weekend from a cruise ship in the Caribbean. They came to work on Monday, with symptoms becomingworseon Thursday.

"This is a time for calm, this is not a time for panic," Kaffer said.

Kaffer said her organization will implement changes to visiting hours as of 5:30 a.m. on Friday.

Visitors will only be permitted from 8 a.m. until 8 p.m., and no visitors under the age of 18 will be allowed at Hotel-Dieu.

Watch Hotel-Dieu's media conference below:

Palliative patients in Hotel-Dieu's Emara building will be permitted two visitors.

"Those changes were planned as part of our response generally," Kaffer said.

Anyone looking to access Hotel-Dieu's main campus will only be able to do so from the Tayfour Building main entrance, as well as the Emara Building's main entrance.

Windsor-Essex County Health Unit Medical Officer of Health Dr. Wajid Ahmed provides a COVID-19 update:

Speaking to reporters at the Windsor-Essex County Health Unit's (WECHU) Windsor office, chief medical officer of health Dr. Wajid Ahmed clarified that there are still no confirmed cases of COVID-19 in the region.

"We've been monitoring and we've been testing individuals for quite some time," he said. "Right now, we have tested close to 50 people in the community, and all of those individuals have so far come back negative for COVID-19."

Ahmed added he and members of his team will directly inform the community if there are any confirmed cases.

"Public health has always taken the lead in information the community about any case in the community," he said. "We want to make sure that we are following that."

Officials confirmed on Thursday that there were17 new COVID-19 cases in Ontario, bringing the province's total to 59.

As per the World Health Organization's situation report Thursday, there are currently more than 125,000 confirmed cases across 118 countries, territories and areas.