Two groups of caregivers will be arriving at a Winnipeg care home following a COVID-19 outbreak.

At 6:30 p.m. Saturday, a Rapid Response Team of paramedics arrived at Maples Personal Care Home to provide care for 24 hours. This is following a string of emergency crews being called to the facility Friday evening.

On Friday night, four ambulances were called to the facility to care for at least a dozen patients. In the past 48 hours, eight people from the facility have died.

A Saturday press conference was quickly called following the release of a Reddit post depicting a grim situation at a care home.

The City of Winnipeg shared a statement with CHVN, saying that more than 12 patients were cared for by paramedics at the home, but Gina Trinidad, WRHA's chief operating officer of long-term care says, only a dozen were treated, including two deceased residents. 

The WRHA says that the residents died in between the time the 911 call was made and paramedics arriving. Of the two deceased, one was a COVID-19 patient. 

When asked if Revera plans to increase staffing to meet the surging demand for care, Jason Chester, the vice-president, long-term care operations for Western Canada says they previously hired staff.

"We were very aggressive in bringing on additional cleaning," Chester says, adding that they also hired dietary help and general labourers. "We recognize when an outbreak occurs it is significantly impacting staffing."

On Friday, the Red Cross will arrive at the facility to provide assistance. 

Emergency crews worked throughout the evening into the morning caring for residents. Trinidad says that she was also at the facility overnight after midnight.

"There were staff (on) every floor, attending to residents. (I) also had the opportunity to observe and assess EMS providing some of that clinical assessment and clinical monitoring as well as that intervention," she says.

The chief operating officer says while visiting after midnight, they were satisfied with the level of staffing and the care being provided.

Trinidad says the facility has been visited by WRHA staff previously, including conducting a review on Monday.

Revera is also under scrutiny for its other facilities such as Beaverhill Lodge and Parkview Place for its handling of COVID-19.