Quinte Health Care is dramatically ramping up screening testing for inpatients even those with nontypical COVID-19 symptoms to help prevent another outbreak in the future, says spokeswoman Susan Rowe.

A COVID-19 outbreak at Belleville General Hospital's Quinte Unit 5 ended on Tuesday after the virus was first detected on April 1.  Two patients were diagnosed with the disease, prompting Quinte Health Care to put 30 hospital workers in self-isolation.

"The outbreak is now over with no staff developing COVID-19 and the only the one patient-to-patient," Quinte Health Care VP of People and Strategy Susan Rowe said in an email to our newsroom.

"Staff on the unit are also wearing personal protective equipment for all patients," explained Rowe. 

There were a total of 26 lab-confirmed cases of the virus in Hastings and Prince Edward as of April 10, and no new cases have been detected since.

There are currently 260 probable cases and there has been one death linked to the virus.  

Probable cases are defined as people who have not been tested, but who may be exhibiting symptoms of COVID-19.  They may have travelled outside of Canada, had close contact with a confirmed or probable case of COVID-19, or had close contact with a person who has an acute respiratory illness and has travelled outside of Canada within 14 days prior to the onset of illness.