West Nipissing General Hospital (WNGH) is the latest entity in the area to tighten procedures over concerns with the COVID-19 pandemic.
Effective at 8:00 p.m. tonight, much like the North Bay Regional Health Centre, visitors will no longer be permitted access to WNGH unless under exceptional circumstances. Visitors will have to be approved by a manager or designate of the respective unit or department.
“Visitors under exceptional circumstances must be 18 years or older and pass the screening at our Emergency Department entrance,” the hospital said through a release. “Visitors could be turned away at the unit level if they do not meet the criteria for exceptional circumstances. Patients attending our Emergency Department may bring a maximum of one adult support person.”
The hospital adds there are no positive cases of COVID-19 at WNGH.
According to the release, “WNGH is working through the details of scaling down our non-urgent clinical activities and will provide further information when it is available over the next 24-48 hours. Patients with existing surgeries and appointments will be contacted directly by the hospital.”
“Help keep our emergency room resources available for emergent and urgent care patients,” the release continued. “Call the North Bay Parry Sound District Health Unit at 1-800-563-2808 extension 5229 to speak to a public health nurse or Telehealth at 1-866-797-0000 if you suspect COVID-19 exposure.”