COVID outbreak declared at Amica Lions Gate seniors home in West Vancouver

A COVID-19 outbreak has been declared at the Amica Lions Gate seniors home in West Vancouver.

Vancouver Coastal Health declared the outbreak Saturday (Oct. 16) at the 99-bed private seniors home on Keith Road, after two residents tested positive.

By Tuesday, the outbreak had reportedly grown to 11 cases at the seniors' home, including six residents and five staff members, according to sources.

Group activities at the care home and visits to residents have been halted until outbreak measures are lifted, with the exception of essential care or compassionate visits for patients at the end of their lives.

According to Vancouver Coastal Health, all potentially exposed residents are being tested for COVID-19 and staff and doctors are being monitored for symptoms, along with disinfection of high-touch surfaces.

Staff who work on the affected unit of the care home are restricted to working in that area only.

The care home is also closed to new admissions and transfers during the outbreak.

This is the first time there has been a COVID-19 outbreak declared at a North Shore care home since the “fourth wave” of the pandemic began this fall.

Recent outbreaks in a number of other care homes in the province have sparked concerns about why elderly vaccinated residents have been contracting the virus and how that virus is being introduced to care homes. As of Monday, there were outbreaks declared at 17 long-term care and assisted living seniors homes in B.C.

This month, it became mandatory for all staff at long-term care and assisted living homes to be vaccinated. As of the date that came into effect on Oct. 12, between 98 and 99 per cent of staff in Vancouver Coastal Health had received at least one dose of vaccine, according to Health Minister Adrian Dix.

The province has also recently started offering third booster shots of the vaccine to residents of long-term care homes.