Several Misericordia staff members in self-isolation after social gathering

Several staff members from the MisericordiaCommunity Hospital in west Edmonton are in self-isolation after possible exposure to COVID-19 at a social gathering.

Spokesperson Karen Diapersaid in an emailed statement Monday that Covenant Health wasaware of an "off-site social event that was attended by a number of staff last month."

Diaper said that staff members were wearing masks and practicing physical distancing at the gathering. She also specified that it was not an event that was hosted by Covenant Health or Alberta Health Services.

She confirmed that at least one person who attended had since tested positive for the coronavirus.

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"Out of an abundance of caution, several staff members who were at the event are now self-isolating at home," Diaper said. "The Misericordia continues to be fully staffed."

The hospital reopened its doors three weeks ago following a COVID-19 outbreak that began in July.

As the facility resumed operations, hospital management said recommendations werebeing crafted to deal with several problem areas identified during the outbreak, including staffing pressures, personal protective equipment, and wandering patients.

In total 58 cases of COVID-19 were linked with the outbreak, including 11 deaths.