5 new COVID-19 cases for Peterborough; outbreak active but cases resolved at Empress Gardens

Another five new cases of COVID-19 were reported in the Peterborough area on Friday, but active cases continue to fall, according to the region’s health unit.

On Peterborough Public Health‘s COVID tracker update issued at 4:07 p.m., there were 75 active cases of COVID-19 in its jurisdiction, down from 82 reported on Thursday.

Variant cases continues its upward climb, with 442 reported on Friday, compared to 437 on Thursday. The first confirmed variant case in the health unit’s jurisdiction — a B.1.1.7 variant, first reported in the U.K.was reported on Feb. 23.

Read more:
COVID-19: Peterborough supply of Pfizer vaccine to double by mid-May; bookings shift to Ontario call centre

Of the health unit’s 1,222 cumulative cases since the pandemic was declared in March 2020, 1,133 are now deemed resolved (12 more since Thursday) — approximately 92 per cent of the health unit’s total cases.

Outbreaks

On Friday, Empress Gardens Retirement Residence in Peterborough reported an asymptomatic resident on April 21 who subsequently tested negative multiple times has been deemed a “resolved” case as of Friday morning. A staff member who acquired COVID in the community is also considered resolved and has returned to work, the home stated.

An outbreak was initially declared at the facility on March 22 when a resident tested positive. Since then, two residents have died in hospital due to COVID-19 complications. Another resident and staff member tested positive on April 16.

“At this point we continue to wait and hope that no further community-acquired cases emerge and affect our outbreak end-date, which the health unit indicates would be May 5th at the earliest,” said executive director Renee Nixon.

She noted first-dose vaccination acceptance has been about 90 per cent, however, staff are not eligible for second doses until early July.

There are five other active outbreaks in Peterborough as of Friday (the health unit generally does not identify workplace outbreaks unless there is concern of further community transmission):

• Workplace #8: Declared April 28. No case details were provided.
• Workplace #7: Declared April 26. No case details were provided.
• Champlain College residence (E/F tower): Declared April 16. Case details not provided but Trent University reports two student residence cases on Friday, unchanged from Thursday. There were 18 cases reported on April 19. The university says not all cases may be linked to the Champlain College outbreak.
• Workplace # 5 in Peterborough: Declared April 13, no case details were provided.
• Congregate living facility # 3 in Peterborough: Declared April 11, no case details provided.

Since the pandemic was declared, the health unit has dealt with 251 COVID-19 cases associated with 41 outbreaks.

Other COVID-19 data for Friday:

• Close contacts: 200, down from 219 on Thursday.
• 53 cases have required hospitalized care since the pandemic was declared  — unchanged since Thursday. Eight required the intensive care unit, unchanged since April 23.
• Fleming College: Reports no cases related to its Sutherland Campus in the city.
• Peterborough Regional Health Centre: Reports 16 COVID-19 inpatients — unchanged since Thursday — and at least 62 patient transfers from other areas, unchanged since Wednesday.
• Death toll: 14 since the pandemic was declared, two linked to outbreak at Empress Gardens Retirement Residence; one to the Severn Court Student Residence outbreak in Peterborough; three associated with a November 2020 outbreak at Fairhaven long-term care in Peterborough.
• More than 49,850 people have been tested for COVID-19.

School-related cases in the health unit’s jurisdiction:

Kawartha Pine Ridge District School Board (board does specify if student or staff):

• None as of Friday

Peterborough Victoria Northumberland Clarington Catholic District School Board:

• Holy Cross Catholic Secondary School in Peterborough — 1 case

Vaccination

Vaccination appointments can be made either online at any time or by calling 249-494-5631 from Mondays to Fridays, 9 a.m. to 4 p.m.

However, beginning Monday, May 3, appointments must be made via the provincial call centre at 1-833-943-3900, available daily 8 a.m. to 8 p.m.

Peterborough pharmacies offering the AstraZeneca vaccine to anyone ages 40 and older: Costco Pharmacy at The Parkway, Walmart and Rexall, both on Chemong Road and High. St. Guardian. Appointments are required and can be made by calling the respective pharmacies.

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