‘A mistake was made’ Man left behind during evacuation of Hamilton retirement home

A man with COVID-19 was left behind at the Rosslyn Retirement Residence in Hamilton on Friday after the building was evacuated due to a large outbreak of the virus.

The resident wasn’t discovered until the following night after his family began raising concerns on his whereabouts.

All 52 residents were moved from the retirement home to St. Joseph’s and Hamilton General hospital after it was determined the home wasn’t meeting safety standards.

Winnie Doyle, executive vice-president of clinical operations at St. Joseph’s Healthcare Hamilton, says they were told the man had been transferred to hospital earlier in the week.

Doyle says the building was searched after the evacuation and staff believed everyone was out. “I can’t tell you whether they were not in their room, or whether the room was overlooked in the search. One of those two things, I think, must have happened,” she said.

Doyle added there was no up-to-date list of all the residents who lived at the home.

There are 83 cases stemming from the home – including 20 staff members who are infected and two residents who have died of COVID-19.

It’s now the biggest institutional outbreak in Hamilton.

No one can go back in until the facility meets regulator requirements to reopen and complies with public health orders which include a deep cleaning, sufficient personal protective equipment, and infection control protocols.