A COVID-19 outbreak has been declared at Peterborough Regional Health Centre after a patient tested positive for the novel coronavirus, officials report Thursday.
Michelene Ough, PRHC’s director of communications, tells Global News Peterborough that the outbreak involves one patient on the A2/B2 inpatient units (stroke rehabilitation unit).
“There are currently no staff cases related to the outbreak,” she said.
“A number of measures are in place on the affected unit, including patient isolation and testing of asymptomatic patients, staff and physicians. No visitors are permitted onto the affected unit at this time.”
The hospital last dealt with a COVID-19 outbreak in April 2020 when three staff members on an inpatient unit tested positive. The outbreak was declared on April 8 and was declared over on April 21. The initial case was believed to be the result of community transmission.
The hospital on Thursday also reports there are now 10 patients with COVID-19 that are on inpatient units. Since the pandemic was declared, there have been 21 hospitalized cases, three of which required the Intensive Care Unit. The hospital also reported Thursday “less than 5” non-COVID-19 patient transfers have come from other regions as a result of provincial directives.
Peterborough Public Health on Thursday afternoon reported its seventh COVID-19 related death — a 90-year-old woman, not connected to a long-term care or congregate living — and 499 cumulative cases of COVID-19 since March 2020 — up from 495 reported on Wednesday.
Resolved cases now sit at 446 (89 per cent of all cases), leaving 46 active cases for the health unit.
An outbreak at Fairhaven long-term care declared on Jan. 11 was declared over on Thursday. The outbreak involved a Westview 3 employee tested positive. No other cases were reported.
Other active outbreaks in the health unit’s jurisdiction include:
- Centennial Place long-term care in Millbrook in Cavan Monaghan-Township (declared Sunday with one asymptomatic resident and one staff member with mild symptoms. Centennial Place administrator Debbie Look says a retest of the resident was a false positive; the staff member awaits retest results)
- Regency Retirement Home in Lakefield in Selwyn Township (declared Sunday, case details not available).
Since the beginning of the pandemic, there have been 21 outbreaks in the health unit’s jurisdiction, with 82 cases — 47 at long-term care homes, the health unit reports Thursday.
There have been six other COVID-19 related deaths – one on the weekend, two in April, three during an outbreak at Fairhaven in November.
TESTING
According to the health unit, more than 40,800 people have been tested for the coronavirus — approximately one in four people in its jurisdiction.
To get tested for COVID-19, book an online appointment. Testing for those with no symptoms, or with mild symptoms, is held at the Northcrest Arena. Those who have COVID-19 symptoms and need to be assessed by a doctor are asked to contact the PRHC’s COVID-19 Assessment Centre at 705-876-5086 to determine whether an appointment is required. The phone line is staffed from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. daily.