A second Toronto health facility has reported a swine flu outbreak on its premises, leading to two people being transported to an acute-care hospital.
In a news release issued Thursday, Bridgepoint Health, a rehabilitation and continuing care facility on the east bank of the Don River Valley, said it had 11 patients and five health-care professionals in its neuromuscular support unit experience symptoms of swine flu.
Those symptoms included coughing, sneezing, fever and muscle pain.
Subsequent testing showed they were infected with the swine flu virus, also known as H1N1.
"Bridgepoint Health is working with Toronto Public Health and our infectious disease specialists to manage the outbreak and contain its spread," said Marian Walsh, its president and CEO. "From the onset of the outbreak, we responded as though the virus was H1N1, which lab results now confirm. We were not going to take any chances."
The facility is treating those with symptoms with an antiviral medication, it said, adding those on the unit who weren't showing symptoms were given a preventative treatment.
It has closed the unit to new admissions and visitors until further notice.
On Wednesday, Mount Sinai hospital revealed it had two staff members and one patient on a ward test positive for swine flu.
Public health officials have said they are seeing rising numbers of swine flu cases in the GTA, with school attendance also being affected.
