A resident at a Peterborough long-term care home has been diagnosed with COVID-19, Peterborough Public Health has confirmed.
The patient is a woman in her 90s, according to Peterborough Public Health’s medical officer of health Dr. Rosana Salvaterra.
The health unit says two other residents at St. Joseph’s at Fleming in Peterborough also have respiratory symptoms, though both of them have tested negative. All three remain in isolation at the Brealey Drive facility.
A staff member at the long-term care home who had symptoms was referred to community paramedics for in-home testing, according to the health unit, and is self-isolating at home.
For the confirmed COVID-19 case, the health unit is trying to determine if there is an epidemiological link to travel or other known cases.
“We know St. Joseph’s at Fleming is taking the right measures to keep residents as safe as possible from the spread of this infection,” said Salvaterra.
“Older adults are more at risk to severe illness caused by COVID-19, so this serves as a strong reminder that we all have a role to play in protecting our most vulnerable residents.”
Visitation at St. Joseph’s at Fleming has been restricted since March 14. The health unit is urging everyone to stay home right now and stop visiting seniors or those who are immunocompromised.
The long-term home case brings the health unit’s total number of confirmed cases of COVID-19 to eight as of Thursday morning. The health unit’s jurisdiction includes the City of Peterborough, Peterborough County, Hiawatha First Nation and Curve Lake First Nation.
On Wednesday evening, the Haliburton, Kawartha, Pine Ridge District Health Unit revealed 11 employees and three residents at the Pinecrest Nursing Home in Bobcaygeon in the City of Kawartha Lakes tested positive for COVID-19. One of the employees is a resident of Peterborough and becomes a case for Peterborough Public Health.