Lakeridge Health declares COVID-19 outbreak at Orchard Villa over

By News Staff

Lakeridge Health says the COVID-19 outbreak at Orchard Villa long-term care and retirement home is over.

The declaration comes after no new positive cases have been confirmed at the facility in the last two weeks.

Close to 80 residents of the home died as the virus swept through the facility, making it the highest publicly confirmed death toll at an Ontario long-term care home.

There are currently 155 residents with resolved cases at the home.

The outbreak was reported at Orchard Villa long-term care home on April 3 and at the retirement home on April 9. On April 21, Lakeridge Health stepped in to monitor and oversee the response to the COVID-19 outbreak.

The Canadian Armed Forces were eventually called in on April 28 and subsequently produced a report that detailed a lack of cleanliness at Orchard Villa, specifically cockroach infestations, and reports of personal support workers and nurses not sitting up residents before feeding, hydrating or giving them medications leading to a high risk of choking or aspiration, including one incident “that appeared to have contributed to a patient death.”

Orchard Villa interim CEO Susan deRyk says the effects of the outbreak have been “devastating” for the entire community and will require a significant time to heal.

Families of residents at the home are calling for a criminal investigation into the handling of the outbreak at the facility.

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