KFL&A Public Health announces 4th case of COVID-19 in Kingston area

KFL&A Public Health has announced a new case of COVID-19 in the Kingston area, bringing the city’s total up to four.

The first three cases were identified in the area on Tuesday.

These three people — two women, 44 and 62, and a 48-year-old man — travelled respectively to Barbados, the United Kingdom and Spain in the last two weeks.

Dr. Kieran Moore, medical officer for health for KFL&A Public Health, says the new case was found in a woman in her 70s who had recently returned from Portugal. She is currently receiving treatment at a Kingston hospital.

Currently, public health officials are investigating who the woman came into contact with, and is advising those people to monitor for symptoms.

1:54 Coronavirus: 3 cases of COVID-19 in the KFL&A area

In light of the new case, Moore released a statement on the public health unit’s website, urging those in the area to practise social distancing and self-isolation.

“We know these measures are disruptive and force adjustments to our daily lives. For the safety of the community, I am asking every person, business, and workplace to make every effort to practice social distancing and if required, self-isolation,” Moore said.

Currently, an assessment centre is up and running at Hotel Dieu Hospital’s St. Joseph’s building, but will only be testing for the virus in those who have recently travelled and who are showing symptoms of the virus.

In partnership with the city, KFL&A Public Health is aiming to move the assessment centre to the Memorial Centre to allow more space for testing.