COVID-19: 11th death, 1 new case in Peterborough; Thomas A. Stewart Secondary School outbreak at 3 cases

A death and one new COVID-19 case were reported in the Peterborough area on Monday, according to the region’s health unit.

The COVID tracker for Peterborough Public Health at 4:04 p.m. reported 67 active cases of COVID-19, down from 75 reported on Sunday afternoon. Twenty-seven cases were reported over the weekend: 20 on Saturday and seven on Easter Sunday.

The 11th death due to COVID-19 was also reported on Monday, a resident at Empress Gardens Retirement Residence which is currently under a lockdown and reported four more cases over the weekend. The resident was one of two who was transferred to hospital where they died, according to the home.

“We extend our sincere condolences to that resident’s loved ones and friends. We are deeply saddened by this loss,” stated executive director Renee Nixon.

The last death was reported on March 25 after Zachary Root, a resident at Severn Court Student Residence in the city’s west end, died during the major outbreak during February and March.

The health unit also reports that of its 919 cumulative cases, 212 are presumed variant of concern cases, unchanged from Sunday. The first confirmed variant of concern was reported on Feb. 23. A presumed variant is defined as having tested positive for a mutation, but it requires further genomic sequencing to determine its specific strain, the health unit notes. Testing at the Public Health Ontario labs generally takes seven to 14 days. Once a strain is identified, it is then placed on the tracker’s confirmed case list.

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Also on Sunday, the health unit declared an outbreak at Thomas A. Stewart Secondary School. According to a letter from principal Melanie Foulkes, two cases have been reported.

On Monday, the Kawartha Pine Ridge District School Board reported a third case at the school, which remains open. Students were off on Monday for the Easter holiday but return to class on Tuesday. It’s not known if the cases involve students and/or staff.

“These individuals will remain at home until the health unit advises they may return to school,” said Foulkes. “No additional students and staff are being dismissed at this time. PPH has identified and have, or will be contacting all high-risk close contacts related to the confirmed cases at our school.”

Of the health unit’s 919 cases, 841 are now declared resolved  — approximately 91.5 per cent.

There remain four other active outbreaks in the city:

• Champlain College Annex at Trent University: Declared April 3 with three cases.
• Two workplace outbreaks — Declared on March 31, locations not specified by the health unit. Last Thursday officials said both places had “fewer than 10” individuals. Ontario’s COVID outbreak database lists one case under congregate care and another under education.
• Empress Gardens Retirement Residence — Declared March 22 after one employee tested positive. At least four cases reported over the weekend and one death.

Since the pandemic was declared, the health unit has dealt with 203 COVID-19 cases associated with 34 outbreaks.

Other COVID-19 data for Monday:

• 31 local cases have required hospitalized care since the pandemic was declared; five required the intensive care unit — one more since last Thursday.
• Fleming College: Reports no cases related to its Sutherland Campus in the city on Monday.
• Trent University: Reports at 4:30 p.m. four active cases — down from six on Sunday. All four cases are in student residence. The university states “not all active cases may be related to the current outbreak at Champlain College Annex.”
• Peterborough Regional Health Centre: Reports fewer than 10 COVID-19 patients. There have been 25 patient transfers from other areas, unchanged since last Thursday.
• Death toll: 11 since the pandemic was declared, one linked to the Severn Court Student Residence outbreak; three associated with a November 2020 outbreak at Fairhaven long-term care in Peterborough.
• More than 47,200 people have been tested for COVID-19.

Vaccination clinics/COVID-19 testing

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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.