COVID-19 outbreak at Salvation Army Centre of Hope
A COVID-19 outbreak has been reported at the Salvation Army's Centre of Hope in London.
Officials have confirmed 18 clients and 10 staff have either tested positive or are close contacts.
Executive Director Jon DeActis said, "We have 12 quarantined in their private rooms and six sleeping in the chapel."
Staff are isolating at home.
It is the first outbreak at the Centre of Hope since the pandemic began nearly two years ago and the Middlesex-London Health Unit is monitoring the situation.
During a virtual media briefing Thursday, Acting Medical Officer of Health Dr. Alex Summers said, “It is a significant challenge to disrupt Omicron transmission in a shelter-based congregate setting because of the challenges with isolation that are, unfortunately, not easy to address in short order."
Summers added that isolation spaces are operating to limit transmission and vaccination clinics continue to be held in shelter settings, but Omicron presents unique challenges.
DeActis said, "We are concerned, but we are continuing to monitor," and that all protocols, including proper PPE, are being followed.
The shelter is currently filled to capacity with more than 200 clients.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Prince Charles offers remarks about reconciliation as Canadian tour begins
Prince Charles and Camilla, the Duchess of Cornwall, have arrived in St. John's, N.L., to begin a three-day Canadian tour that includes stops in Ottawa and the Northwest Territories.

Maple Leafs star Mitch Marner carjacked at gunpoint outside Toronto movie theatre
Toronto Maple Leafs winger Mitch Marner was the victim of an armed carjacking outside a movie theatre in Etobicoke on Monday night, the club confirmed on Tuesday.
Airport delays: Transport minister says feds not asking airlines to cut back flights
Canada's transport minister is dismissing claims that the federal government asked airlines to reduce their schedules and cancel flights to ease recent travel delays.
Regular travel and public health measures can't coexist: Canadian Airport Council
International arrivals at Canadian airports are so backed up, people are being kept on planes for over an hour after they land because there isn't physically enough space to hold the lineups of travellers, says the Canadian Airports Council.
Many Canadians feel gun violence getting worse in their communities: poll
Many Canadians say gun violence is increasing in the communities they live in, with residents in major cities and the country's largest provinces mostly reporting such views, according to a new survey from the Angus Reid Institute.
Drugs tunnel the length of six football fields links Tijuana, San Diego
U.S. authorities on Monday announced the discovery of a major drug smuggling tunnel -- running about the length of a six football fields -- from Mexico to a warehouse in an industrial area in the U.S.
Indian couple sue only son for not giving them grandchildren
A couple in India are suing their son and daughter-in-law -- for not giving them grandchildren after six years of marriage.
Fall of Mariupol appears at hand; fighters leave steel plant
Mariupol appeared on the verge of falling to the Russians on Tuesday as Ukraine moved to abandon the steel plant where hundreds of its fighters had held out for months under relentless bombardment in the last bastion of resistance in the devastated city.
Liberals move to bar sanctioned Russians from Canada through immigration amendments
The Liberal government is moving to ban Russians sanctioned over Moscow's invasion of Ukraine from entering Canada. The government tabled proposed amendments to federal immigration law in the Senate today to ensure foreign nationals subject to sanctions under the Special Economic Measures Act are inadmissible to Canada.