St. Joseph’s Villa, one of Ontario’s largest long-term care homes, had not been touched by COVID-19 until April 24, after introducing a new policy to test all residents whether they have symptoms or not.

With 425 residents, the Villa is part of a St. Joseph’s Health System pilot project that is testing all residents .

The community of Dundas has close to 1,200 residents living in retirement or long-term care homes. There are approximately 665 Dundas long-term care residents, and 524 in a total of six licensed retirement homes.

As of April 23, no Dundas retirement home, long-term care or residential care home resident had been reported positive for COVID-19. One long-term care worker, at Wentworth Lodge, tested positive on April 4. That case was resolved on April 15. The lodge has 160 residents. One Villa resident was reported positive on Friday, April 24.

That record, more than a month into the Canada-wide outbreak of the virus, bucks the trend of senior care homes across North America where COVID-19 has spread rapidly.

City of Hamilton’s public health division has been assessing long-term care and retirement homes, as well as residential care facilities.

As a result of these audits, 31 locations were issued orders under the Health Promotion and Protection Act to address risks of introduction and spread of the virus in those facilities.

“Orders were issued to those facilities not adhering to prescribed infection prevention and control practices and that pose a risk to the further spread of COVID-19,” public health stated in a press release.

Among the 31 facilities issued orders were two Dundas residential care facilities: Laburnam Lodge, 53 Park St. W., and Elm Villa, 12 Melville St.

“COVID-19 has had a devastating effect within many congregate care facilities caring for vulnerable elderly residents, prompting the Ontario government to call for greater testing in long-term care and retirement homes,” an April 20 press release from St. Joseph’s Health System stated.

Dr. Jack Gauldie, vice president of research at St. Joseph’s Healthcare Hamilton said testing the prevalence of asymptomatic COVID-19 positive cases could inform future testing strategies and prevention measures.

“It’s vital we learn how we can protect our most vulnerable population and our staff today, and in the future,” Gauldie said. “We need to share our findings widely to make changes to how we protect the elderly living in congregate settings.”

Dr. Tom Stewart, St. Joseph’s Health System CEO, said it would be irresponsible not to put the collective efforts of its network of hospitals, long term care, retirement homes, home care and research labs together in the fight against COVID-19.