A COVID-19 case has been reported at James Strath Public School in Peterborough and a new outbreak at a retirement home in the city.
Global News Peterborough has learned the case involves a student at the junior kindergarten to Grade 8 school in the city’s northwest end.
Peterborough Public Health directed inquires to the Kawartha Pine Ridge District School Board, which provided a letter from principal Michelle Borgatti which was issued to parents and guardians on Friday afternoon. The letter but did not specify if the case was a student or staff.
“This individual will remain at home until the health unit advises they may return to school. The identity of this individual is protected by privacy legislation and cannot be shared. We wish them a full and speedy recovery,” she stated.
She added that the school will be disinfected by the electro-static sprayer this weekend.
Global News has also learned at least two dozen students and two teachers have been identified as close cohorts and have been ordered under Section 22 to self-isolate/quarantine for 14 days. That total is likely to increase to include parents and guardians.
Other schools in the health unit’s jurisdiction with active COVID-19 cases as of Friday include:
- Norwood District Public School: one student
- Buckhorn Public School: one student
- St. Martin Catholic Elementary School in Ennismore: one student
In its daily COVID-19 tracker, the health unit on Friday reported nine new cases of the coronavirus in its jurisdiction of Peterborough, Peterborough County, Hiawatha First Nation and Curve Lake First Nation.
The number of active cases is now at 37, up from 31 reported on Thursday. One of the active cases is the B.1.1.7 variant, first reported in the United Kingdom, which was reported on Tuesday.
A new outbreak was also declared at Empress Gardens retirement home on Charlotte St. in Peterborough – no case details were provided.
An outbreak remains active at Buckhorn Daycare and Nursery School in the Municipality of Trent Lakes. As of Thursday, the case count was 17, which includes 11 children and five caregivers/staff. The outbreak was initially declared on Feb. 16.
There are now 582 resolved cases out of the 628 cases since the pandemic was declared — approximately 93.5 per cent. Two previously reported cases were removed. There were 581 resolved cases reported on Thursday.
Also on Friday, Peterborough Regional Health Centre reports “fewer than five” inpatients with COVID-19, unchanged since Feb. 18. There also remain 17 patients at the hospital as a result of transfers from other areas.
Since the pandemic was declared there have been 24 hospitalized cases of COVID-19, three of which required the intensive care unit.
The pandemic has claimed the lives of nine residents — three of them associated with a November 2020 outbreak at Fairhaven long-term care.
The number of close contacts continues to decline, going from 139 on Thursday to 152 on Friday.
Testing
On Friday, the health unit reported that more than 43,350 people have been tested for the novel coronavirus. To get tested for COVID-19, book an online appointment. Testing for those without symptoms or with mild symptoms is held at the Northcrest Arena in Peterborough.
If you have COVID-19 symptoms and need to be assessed by a doctor, 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.