Test swabs for the novel coronavirus taken in Haliburton County, the City of Kawartha Lakes or Northumberland County are now being taken to a lab in Kingston for a quicker turnaround for results.
“Unfortunately, there’s a lag for the ones sent to Toronto last week — we’re still waiting on results back,” City of Kawartha Lakes Mayor Andy Letham told reporters on a conference call Wednesday morning. “We’re getting results back from Monday from Kingston.”
Some of those delayed results are for staff members at Pinecrest Nursing Home in Bobcaygeon, Ont. —which is in the City of Kawartha Lakes — where a coronavirus outbreak has lead to the deaths of 12 nursing home residents.
Letham said he received calls of support from Ontario’s Lt.-Gov. Elizabeth Dowdeswell and Merrilee Fullerton, the province’s minister of long-term care.
“This is heartbreaking for us as a municipality and for everybody in Bobcaygeon,” added Letham. “Beside heartbreak, you put frustration, because you want to help, but there’s not much you can do to help, but if you do want to help — stay home.”
Letham also answered reporter questions about the municipality’s ongoing response to the pandemic.
He said the major reconstruction project on Kent Street West in downtown Lindsay and a project on Colborne Street will continue as planned because the contractors want to do the work now.
Letham also added a number of smaller projects, such as pothole repairs, may have to wait.
“We can’t put four guys in a pickup truck and send them out to fix potholes anymore. How do we do that differently? We’re working on that with our CAO (Ron Taylor). There’s a bunch of stuff we’ll deal with, but not right now,” he said.
All municipal facilities remain closed, including all arenas. Letham said staff have already removed the ice surfaces for spring.
When asked about long-term planning, including the possibility of losing a major economic driver in summer tourism, Letham said officials are only looking ahead in two-week blocks at this point.
“We’re thinking about it, but it’s not in our immediate plan to work on tourism strategies at this point,” he said.
“The province has told people to stay put where they are now, and we need to listen to our health experts.”
The municipality’s economic development department is working with smaller businesses on strategies during the pandemic.
Officials said more information would be coming forward in the near future.
City council is also working towards holding a virtual meeting at some point later this month.
The next media teleconference with municipal officials is scheduled for April 3 at 9:30 a.m.