Employees and customers of the Place Dupuis hotel, an establishment that houses people experiencing homelessness, have tested positive for COVID-19.
“We can confirm that some hotel employees and some of our customers have been tested,” said Chelsea Dufort, communications advisor for Mission Bon Accueil, the organization that manages the place.
Chelsea Dufort, however, could not say how many people exactly are affected by this outbreak at the Place Dupuis hotel.
During the second wave, the homeless community experienced multiple major outbreaks of COVID-19 cases.
As of February 14, 286 homeless people and 106 staff members have tested positive in homelessness since December 1, confirmed to Subway the medical chief at the Montreal regional public health department, Dr. Carole Morissette.
This number has therefore more than doubled in one month, from 172 to 392.
Indeed, a month earlier, the Regional Directorate of Public Health (DRSP) in Montreal had 114 cases among the homeless and 58 among workers working with them, for a total of 172 cases.
Vaccination of the homeless
In order to control outbreaks in homelessness settings, the DRSP launched an emergency response on January 3.
Thus, she proceeded to screenings at the level of the emergency accommodation services and the rest-places as well as of the large shelters.
When a homeless person tests positive, they are brought and treated in one of two isolation centers in Montreal, the former Royal Victoria Hospital or the Red Cross site.
As part of the emergency plan, the DRSP has also started a vaccination campaign in the various settings which have been prioritized according to the state of the epidemiological situation.
To date, more than 960 homeless people in Montreal have been vaccinated. “We are in the process of completing this vaccination campaign. We covered extensively the different environments that were prioritized, ”says Dr. Morissette.
Improvements
Like the general situation in Montreal, the doctor notes an improvement in the situation in homeless communities.
“We really have signs that the intervention and the preventive measures taken have stabilized the situation,” she adds. There are outbreaks that were there at the start of the year that are currently under control. ”
Chelsea Dufort agrees. “Contrary to what happened around the Christmas holidays, the positive cases among people experiencing homelessness are very, very low,” she underlines.
–
