Staffing in Waterloo region's long-term care homes 'precarious': Dr. Wang

Staffing at long-term care homes continues to be "precarious" as Waterloo region grapples with asecond wave of COVID-19, according to its top public health official.

Dr. Hsiu-Li Wang, the region's acting medical officer of health, said there have been improvements in infectionprevention and control in the sector since the pandemic began, but recruitment and staffing continues to be a challenge.

"Health system partners have been in conversations regularly about making sure our long-term care homes are aware that if they're experiencing issues with staffing, there are other health-care partners that will work with them to see what can be done," she said.

Staffing shortages continue to be a problem across the province. Donna Duncan, CEO of the Ontario Long-Term Care Association, told the Long-Term Care COVID-19 Commission last month that homes continue to deal with an "acute staffing shortage."

The commission is looking into why the virus was able to spread in the long-term care system.

The hearings aren't open to the public, but according to transcripts posted online, Duncan said the association was concerned the system was not prepared for a second wave of the virus.

7 outbreaks atfacilities forseniors

There are currently 10 active outbreaks of COVID-19 in the Waterloo region seven are atfacilities for seniors.

A pair of outbreaks was declared at The Village at University Gates Thursday. One outbreak is in the long-term care part of the facility, while another was reported in a unit of its retirement home.

There are also outbreaks at Doon Valley Retirement Residence, Stirling Heights Long Term Care Home, Sunnyside Home Long Term Care, Fairview Mennonite Home and Conestoga Lodge.

"Even though the numbers aresmall, it's always something that's on my mind whenever we see homes or an outbreak in our region," Wang said of the outbreaks, adding that everything the community has been doing so far to slow the spread is important.

"The number of outbreaks and cases in long-term care homes will rise as a function of the number of cases that are reported each day."

Of the 120 people in Waterloo region who've died from the virus, 96 have been residents in retirement homes or long-term care, according to data from public health.

In the spring, there was a significant outbreak at Kitchener's Forest Heights Revera, where 51 people died.