Outbreaks and Visitation
Over the past several weeks, our hospital has seen a decrease in acute respiratory-related hospitalizations and presentations to our Emergency Department. As a result of improvements in respiratory virus-related indicators, the Timmins and District Hospital (TADH) has moved from a Green (Low) Risk to Normal Operations, effective April 1, 2025.
Masking
As a result of this change, masking is no longer required when providing direct patient care or having direct patient contact, unless posted signage identifies otherwise.
- Staff are still required to follow any posted isolation guidelines on patient rooms/clinical units.
- Staff are encouraged to perform their point-of-care risk assessments to determine if masking is appropriate.
- Designated Care Partners/visitors are no longer required to remain masked when at the patient bed side, unless posted signage indicate precautions are required.
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The hospital remains a mask-friendly environment. Staff, physicians, patients and visitors are encouraged to maintain masking if they prefer and respect the decision of others to remain masked.
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Surgical masks will continue to be provided to those who wish to use them.
There are currently:
- NO OUTBREAKS declared in hospital.
For General Visitation Guidelines including visiting hours, please see the Visitor Information page.
Alternatives to the Emergency Department
For non-life-threatening health concerns
- Access the North East Region Virtual Care Clinic, a free online service. To schedule an appointment, visit https://www.nevirtualcare.ca/.
- Get connected with a registered nurse day or night for free by calling or texting 811 (formerly Telehealth Ontario). More information, including a live chat feature can be found here: https://health811.ontario.ca/static/guest/home
- For urgent medication refills: Call your primary care provider or pharmacist to provide an emergency refill of your prescription.
- Find other services in the Cochrane District by using North East Healthline.
Mental Health Help
- For help with a mental health crisis: Contact TADH’s Crisis Line at 705-264-3003 (available 24/7).
- Northeastern Ontario Family and Children’s Services (NEOFACS) Crisis services for youth and families who are risk of harm resulting from suicidal ideation, self-injurious behaviors or homicidal ideation. Call 705-360-7100 (available 24/7).
- The Kids Help Phone is available 24/7 by calling 686868 or texting CONNECT to 686868.
- The Suicide Crisis Helpline can be called or texted at 988 (available 24/7) for trauma-informed and culturally informed support for anyone thinking of suicide, or who is worried about someone they know.
- For First Nations Inuit and Métis Peoples seeking emotional support, crisis intervention, or referrals to community based services, call Hope for Wellness Help Line at 1-855-242-3310 (toll-free). This service is available 24/7 and is offered in English, French and by request in Cree, Ojibway and Inuktitut.
For community and social services:
- Call 211. This service is available 24/7.
For home and community care support services
- To refer yourself or others for home care services, call Ontario Health atHome at 310-2222 (no area coded needed).
At Timmins and District Hospital (TADH) our priority is keeping patients, visitors, and staff safe when an outbreak occurs. TADH supports patient and family-centered care. Family members and friends contribute to the healing process of the patient; as a hospital we recognize how family and friends can comfort patients providing emotional, social, physical and spiritual support. However, when an outbreak occurs, visitation needs to be balanced with preventing the spread of illness within the hospital and to the community.
This page will be updated with the latest information on outbreaks and how they impact potential visitors to the hospital.
What is an outbreak?
An outbreak is declared when a contagious infection is identified on an inpatient unit, making some patients sick. Depending on the type of infection, some or all patients on the outbreak unit will require isolation to stop the spread. This will impact how visitation.
What does it mean for visitors?
Depending on the nature of an outbreak, restrictions will be put in place to prevent the spread of illness. These can include restricting the number of visitors to patients in a medical unit under outbreak to 1 Designated Care Partner per patient and the requirement for personal protective equipment such as masks
What is a Designated Care Parter and what does it mean for visiting during an outbreak?
Temporary visitation restrictions for visitors and/or Designated Care Partners may be put into effect at anytime during an outbreak.
Designated Care Partners are important members of the patient’s care team providing essential support. They are identified by the patient or substitute decision maker and are usually family members or people of significance in the life of the patient. They work with the healthcare team to provide care, care planning and decision making.
During an outbreak, the hospital may restrict visitors to 1 Designated Care Partner.
If you are a Designated Care Partner visiting during an outbreak, how can you prevent the spread of infection?
When visiting a patient in an isolation room, to prevent the spread of infection, do not:
- Eat or drink in the patient’s room
- Share the patient’s food
- Sit on the patient’s bed
- Use the patient’s personal articles including utensils, glasses, cups etc.
- Use the patient’s bathroom or sink
- Open curtains in between patients if you are visiting a patient in a shared room
- Remember to keep 6 feet apart from others in the room
Please do:
- Follow all directed guidance on masking and other personal protective equipment (PPE) precautions.
- Remember that cleaning your hands is one of the most important ways to reduce infections, including when entering and exiting the room.
What kind of symptoms or tests should prevent Designated Care Partners and others from visiting someone at the hospital?
To prevent your family member or friend from becoming sicker and to prevent the spread of sickness to other patients in hospital, do not visit if:
- You are not feeling well or have any new or worsening symptoms:
- fever and/or chills
- cough
- headache
- sore throat
- shortness of breath
- extreme fatigue
- runny nose/nasal congestion
- nausea, vomiting or diarrhea
- muscle aches/joint pain
- decreased or loss of sense of taste or smell
- You have tested positive for COVID-19 in the last 10 days.
- You have had close contact with a person who has COVID-19 in the last 10 days.
