Langley Lodge gets more manpower as outbreak becomes ‘challenging to control’

Fraser Health, which has been providing support to the home, announced this on Thursday, saying that they appointed a director of pandemic response who will ‘oversee’ the COVID-19 response at Langley Lodge. (File photo: Langley Lodge/Facebook)

Langley Lodge, a long-term care home in British Columbia that has recorded more than 20 deaths related to the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) so far, is getting extra manpower, as the coronavirus outbreak at the home becomes “challenging to control” due to “complex factors.”

Fraser Health, which has been providing support to the home, announced this on Thursday, saying that they appointed a director of pandemic response who will ‘oversee’ the COVID-19 response at Langley Lodge.

“We have been working very closely with Langley Lodge and this decision was made to further support the facility leadership and staff,” Fraser Health said in a statement, but did not provide the name of the new appointee.

Aside from the pandemic response director, Fraser Health will also be deploying more nurses and care staff.

“In addition to the COVID-19 outbreak control measures, we are deploying our ultraviolet germicidal irradiation (UVGI) machine to the site with infection control specialists,” it added.

The announcement came after it was reported that two more seniors have died from the virus in Langley Lodge, bringing the total death toll at 22. Fraser Health expressed its sincere condolences to the families of the Langley Lodge residents.

Debra Hauptman, the chief executive officer of Langley Care Society that runs Langley Lodge, said in a statement that they welcome the assistance being offered by Fraser Health, stressing that it is essential for them to “seek out and access every resource that is available to us.”

“I and my team will be working in collaboration with the new appointee. Our progress to date has been steady and we remain steadfastly focused on getting across the finish line,” she added.

In its latest coronavirus update posted on its website, Langley Lodge said it had identified two new resident cases of COVID-19 on the 5th floor of the home and one staff member who tested positive for the virus. It said the 5th floor will remain on droplet precautions, while the infected residents will be placed into one unit on the 3rd floor where they can intensify resources and minimize further exposures.