Eight new cases of COVID-19 were reported in the Peterborough area on Wednesday along with an additional case with an ongoing outbreak at a retirement residence in the city.
On its COVID tracker update issued at 4:23 p.m.,Peterborough Public Health reports 107 active cases of COVID-19 in its jurisdiction which includes Peterborough, Peterborough County, Curve Lake First Nation and Hiawatha First Nation. That’s down from 119 on Tuesday. There were 123 reported Monday and 132 reported on Sunday.
As of Wednesday there are 379 variant of concern cases among the 1,127 cumulative cases since the pandemic was declared in March 2020. There were 373 variant cases reported Tuesday. The first confirmed variant of concern — a B.1.1.7 variant, first reported in the U.K. — was reported on Feb. 23.
Resolved cases are now at 1,014 which is approximately 90 per cent of the health unit’s total cases. There were 995 reported resolved cases on Tuesday.
Also on Wednesday, Empress Gardens Retirement Residence reported another resident had initially tested positive, despite being the individual being “asymptomatic, has been fully vaccinated and has not had contact with any of the previously identified resident or staff cases.”
“We completed contact tracing of this resident with public health, and they agreed this case is surprising,” said executive director Renée Nixon on Wednesday. “As such, we retested the resident yesterday, and that second test was returned negative this morning.”
As a result, the resident must quarantine for a 10-day period, said Nixon.
However, she says despite the negative result, the outbreak that was declared on March 22 will continue until all positive cases are clear. The outbreak was declared when an employee initially tested positive. Since then two residents who tested positive died in hospital due to COVID-19 complications. On April 16 the home reported another resident and a staff member had also tested positive.
“Surveillance testing for all staff and residents will continue every three days until the outbreak is declared over by public health,” she said.
“Both residents are comfortably entertaining themselves, with designated staff nearby, during their period of isolation.”
“The other positive resident also remains asymptomatic and is expected to be deemed ‘clear’ by public health and able to return to their personal suite at the end of this week,” she added.
No new outbreaks were reported Wednesday. Four other active outbreaks in the city include:
- Champlain College residence (E/F tower): Declared April 16. Case details not provided but Trent University reports 17 student residence cases (one more since Tuesday). There were 18 reported on Monday. The university says not all cases may be linked to the Champlain College outbreak.
- Workplace #6 in Peterborough: Declared April 15, no case details were provided.
- Workplace # 5 in Peterborough: Declared April 13, no case details were provided.
- Congregate living facility # 3 in Peterborough: Declared April 11, no case details provided.
Since the pandemic was declared, the health unit has dealt with 242 COVID-19 cases associated with 39 outbreaks.
Other COVID-19 data for Wednesday:
- Close contacts: 308, unchanged from Tuesday.
- 42 cases have required hospitalized care since the pandemic was declared (unchanged since Tuesday). Seven required the intensive care unit (unchanged since Monday).
- Fleming College: Reports no cases related to its Sutherland Campus in the city, unchanged since Monday.
- Peterborough Regional Health Centre: Reports 10 COVID-19 inpatients — down six from Tuesday. There have been at least 46 patient transfers from other areas (unchanged).
- Death toll: 13 since the pandemic was declared, two linked to outbreak at Empress Gardens Retirement Residence; one to the Severn Court Student Residence outbreak in Peterborough; three associated with a November 2020 outbreak at Fairhaven long-term care in Peterborough.
- More than 48,800 people have been tested for COVID-19.
Other school cases in the health unit’s jurisdiction:
Kawartha Pine Ridge District School Board (board does specify if student or staff):
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- Armour Heights Public School in Peterborough: 1 case, unchanged since Friday, April 16.
- Hastings Public School: 1 case, unchanged since Monday.
- North Shore Public School in Keene: 1 case, unchanged since Wednesday, April 14.
Peterborough Victoria Northumberland Clarington Catholic District School Board: (As of April 19, board will not be reporting new cases of COVID-19 involving staff and students unless the cases are connected those who are currently working or learning in-person in school):
- St. Alphonsus Catholic Elementary School in Peterborough — 2 cases, unchanged since Wednesday, April 14.
- Holy Cross Catholic Secondary School in Peterborough — 1 case, unchanged since Wednesday, April 14.
- St. Catherine Catholic Elementary: One case, unchanged since Wednesday, April 14.
Vaccination
Vaccination appointments can be made either online at any time or by calling 249-494-5631 from Mondays to Fridays, 9 a.m. to 4 p.m.
Residents looking to cancel vaccination appointments are also asked to contact the call centre at 249-494-5631.
Peterborough pharmacies offering the AstraZeneca vaccine to anyone ages 40 and older: Costco Pharmacy at The Parkway, Walmart and Rexall, both on Chemong Road and High. St. Guardian. Appointments are required and can be made by calling the respective pharmacies.
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