5 more coronavirus cases in Renfrew County, health unit reports

Five more people in Renfrew County have tested positive for COVID-19, the illness caused by the novel coronavirus, the health unit serving the county said Tuesday afternoon.

The new cases include adults ranging from their 20s to their 60s and all are currently in self-isolation at their homes, according to the Renfrew County and District Health Unit.

The development brings the county’s total number of confirmed COVID-19 cases to date to seven. The local health uni has reported one death linked to the virus.

“We are seeing more cases in the community and we continue work with our health system partners to ensure the safety of the public,” Dr. Robert Cushman, Renfrew County’s acting medical officer of health, said in a news release.

“I cannot stress enough that it is everyone’s responsibility to practice physical distancing.”

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Of the five new cases, four are women: two in their 30s, one in her 50s and one in her 60s. The fifth case is a man in his 20s.

The onset of symptoms in three of the cases has been linked to travel and/or close contact with a confirmed COVID-19 case, according to the health unit. The other two are not related to travel.

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The five people were tested between March 16 and March 2020; three were tested by Renfrew County paramedics, one was tested in Perth and one was tested at Ottawa’s Brewer Park Arena assessment centre.

The health unit said it will no longer issue media releases when reporting new COVID-19 cases in the community and will update its website with case numbers at 12:00 p.m. daily.

Just east of Renfrew County, Ottawa’s public health unit says there are 144 confirmed cases of the new coronavirus, including outbreaks at two retirement homes, as of Monday night.