According to the numbers, COVID-19 cases are spreading rapidly in the rural region covered by the Leeds, Grenville and Lanark District Health Unit, which reported more than 137 total novel coronavirus cases as of Thursday.
This number more than doubles the total in Kingston, which has stood at 53 all week. From Monday to Thursday, the region saw almost 75 new cases
Dr. Paula Stewart, medical officer of health for the public health unit, says the recent jumps have had to do with increased testing at long-term care facilities experiencing COVID-19 outbreaks.
“The residents in the homes are being tested and as we get the results back it, of course, increases our numbers — so more then half of our numbers are actually related to people in long term care homes and that’s driving our numbers,” Stewart said.
On Wednesday, Global News confirmed that a long-term care home in Almonte, Ont., Almonte Country Haven, had seen 10 COVID-19-related deaths, with the public health unit identifying 20 other cases at that home alone.
According to daily numbers released by the health unit, there are 52 cases identified at long-term care facilties among residents. There are also 32 health-care workers infected with the disease.
Stewart said that for the most part, people in the community seem to be adhering to social distancing.
According to the latest numbers, there are 53 cases of COVID-19 in the region that were caught through community contact.