COVID-19: 27 new cases for HKPR; outbreak declared at Haliburton business, lifted at 5 schools

The Haliburton, Kawartha, Pine Ridge District Health Unit reported 27 new cases of COVID-19 on Monday while declaring a new outbreak in Haliburton County and lifting outbreaks at five area schools.

The new cases — which cover Saturday afternoon to Sunday evening — included 12 in Northumberland County, 13 in the City of Kawartha Lakes and two in Haliburton County. They followed seven cases (four in the Kawarthas, three in Northumberland) reported on Saturday.

However, the total number of active cases continues to decline, now at 92 as of early Monday afternoon, down from 102 reported on Friday and 97 on Saturday.

Northumberland County reports 46 active cases on Monday (down 16 since on Friday). There are 39 active cases in the Kawarthas (up six since Friday) and nine in Haliburton County (up two). Since the pandemic was declared in March 2020, there have been 796 confirmed cases in Northumberland County, 704 in the Kawarthas and 98 in Haliburton County.

The number of variant cases of COVID-19, however, is still increasing, sitting at 339 on Monday, up from 318 reported on Friday. Northumberland County has reported 219 variant cases, with 103 in the Kawarthas and 17 in Haliburton County.

Of the health unit’s 1,598 confirmed cases since the pandemic was declared 13 months ago, 1,447 are now deemed resolved (42 more since Friday) — approximately 90.5 per cent of the total cases.

Late Friday evening the health unit declared a new outbreak at Summersweet Custom Design and Build Inc. in Haliburton County. Case details were not available.

There remain two other active outbreaks:

• Grafton Post Office: Declared April 18. Two employees tested positive. The post office resumed normal hours of operation on April 20, according to Canada Post.
• Fenelon Court Long-term Care: Declared April 11 after three employees tested positive. Two more employees have since tested positive, the home reported on April 19. “All staff members are at home in self-isolation.”

Over the weekend, the health unit lifted outbreaks declared at the following five schools:

• Mariposa Elementary School in Oakwood: Declared April 20.
• St. Thomas Aquinas Catholic Secondary School in Lindsay: Declared April 19.
• Grafton Public School: Declared April 18.
• North Hope Central Public School in Campbellcroft: Declared April 14
• Cobourg Collegiate Institute: Closed April 6 for three cases. Outbreak declared April 9. There were up to 19 cases reported on April 15.

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Other data:

• Hospitalized cases: 57 — one more since Friday. Six people are currently in an area hospital (up one since Friday), six in an intensive care unit (up one). Ross Memorial Hospital in Lindsay reports 11 admitted COVID-19 patients as of noon Monday, two more since Friday.
• Deaths: Remain at 70, the latest reported Tuesday in Northumberland County. There have been 56 deaths in the City of Kawartha Lakes, 13 in Northumberland and one in Haliburton County since the pandemic was declared.

Other schools within the health unit’s jurisdiction with reported COVID-19 cases as of Monday afternoon:

Kawartha Pine Ridge District School Board (school board does not specify if cases involve students or staff):

• Cobourg Collegiate Institute in Cobourg: 4 cases, Kawartha Pine RIdge District School Board reports.
• CR Gummow Public School in Cobourg: 1 cases, one less since Friday.
• Grafton Public School: 4 cases

Peterborough Victoria Northumberland Clarington Catholic District School Board (board has not updated since April 19):

• St. Michael Catholic Elementary School in Cobourg: One case since April 19.

Trillium Lakelands District School Board (TLDBS):

• Haliburton Highlands Secondary School: One student case, unchanged since Monday, April 19.

To book a vaccine appointment, visit the province’s booking website or phone 1-888-999-6488. Phone lines will be open daily from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. Vaccines are also available at a number of pharmacies within the health unit’s jurisdiction.