By Canadian Press

Hoax call diverted resources during struggle to adapt to COVID-19: care home

Jul 21, 2020 | 4:23 PM

VANCOUVER — A long-term care home in North Vancouver that was the site of Canada’s first COVID-19 death says it received a hoax call as the outbreak began that created “needless fear” and compromised health and safety.

Lynn Valley Care Centre says in an open letter that it received a call in the early hours of March 8, only two days after the outbreak was declared, that appeared to originate from health authorities.

The care home says the content of the call has since become evidence in an ongoing RCMP investigation and it did not provide details of what was said.

However, the centre says it took immediate action based on information provided and by the time it learned of the hoax, a “great deal of harm” had already been done to its capacity to provide a high standard of care.

Sgt. Peter Devries says the RCMP arrested and released someone related to the call, however no charges have been recommended and the investigation is ongoing.

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The care home says when the hoax was revealed on March 9, it had already caused unnecessary fear among residents and their families, and apprehension among staff who became reluctant to work.

“And it diverted valuable time and resources away from our capacity to work at a time when we faced the greatest challenge in our centre’s history. That call kicked us when we were down, really down,” the letter says.

The care home says it will continue to co-operate with the RCMP in the investigation. 

Lynn Valley Care Centre became the site of Canada’s first outbreak when it was reported on March 6.

Over the course of the outbreak, 76 staff and residents became infected and 20 residents died.

Provincial health officer Dr. Bonnie Henry officially declared the end to the COVID-19 outbreak at Lynn Valley Care Centre on May 5.

“COVID-19 changed everything for us. Over the course of 24 hours, our facility went from its regular industry-standard practices to a vastly altered series of safety measures and protocols,” the care home says.

“LVCC has overcome COVID-19, and our facility today remains free of the dangerous virus. We commit to our residents, their families, and our staff that we will do everything in our power to keep it that way.”

— By Amy Smart in Vancouver.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published July 21, 2020.

The Canadian Press