Gastrointestinal Outbreak Declared at Stratford General Hospital
February 21, 2026
A gastrointestinal outbreak has been declared at the Huron Perth Healthcare Alliance (HPHA) on the Medicine Unit at its Stratford General Hospital site.
Outbreak status refers to two or more confirmed gastrointestinal cases among patients that could have possibly been acquired in the hospital.
HPHA is working in collaboration with Huron Perth Public Health to manage the outbreak. Patients, family/caregivers and team members affected are in the process of being notified.
Family and caregiver presence on the unit has been modified. Patients may only have one family caregiver/visitor per day with no in-and-out privileges. Family/caregivers will be required to practice hand hygiene, and wear personal protective equipment, including eye protection, gown and gloves.
In addition, family members/caregivers must not use patient bathrooms or eat and drink while in patient rooms. Also, visitors must wash their hands with soap and water after being on the unit.
“While you may want to visit family members or friends in the hospital, your visit may end up doing more harm than good if you are sick because you could spread the illness to them,” says Erica Jensen, Manager Quality, Patient Safety and Infection Control. “Since patients in the hospital are vulnerable and are at higher risk of developing more severe illness, please do not visit people in the hospital until you have fully recovered.”