COVID-19: 18 new cases reported in Peterborough area; new workplace outbreak declared

Peterborough Public Health reported 18 new cases of COVID-19 while reporting another outbreak at a workplace on Tuesday afternoon.

On the health unit’s COVID tracker update issued at 4:03 p.m., the health unit reports 90 active cases of COVID-19 in its jurisdiction, up from 76 reported on Monday. The health unit serves Peterborough, Peterborough County, Hiawatha First Nation and Curve Lake First Nation.

April will be the month with the most cases for the health unit since the pandemic was declared in March 2020, Dr. Rosana Salvaterra, medical officer of health, said on Tuesday. Four new cases were reported Monday.

Weekly cases:

• 81 cases for the week of April 5
• 112 cases for the week of April 12
• 65 cases week of April 19

“It certainly shows the impact the third wave has had on our community,” she said.

Variant cases continue to trend upward, now at 416, as compared to 409 reported about 24 hours earlier. The first confirmed variant of concern — a B.1.1.7 variant, first reported in the U.K. — was reported on Feb. 23.

Of the health unit’s 1,198 cumulative cases since the pandemic was declared 13 months ago, 1,095 are now resolved (1,090 were reported Monday) — approximately 92 per cent of the health unit’s total cases. An additional case was added Tuesday from previous days.

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Outbreaks

Late Monday, the health unit reported a new workplace outbreak (#7) in the city. No case details were provided. Workplaces are only identified if there is concern of community spread. Most workplace outbreaks to date have been at settings that do not have public access, Salvaterra noted.

“This workplace has voluntarily closed,” said Salvaterra. “All cases and high-risk contacts have been identified and are isolating.”

Other active outbreaks — which Salvaterra said Tuesday remain stable — include:

• Champlain College residence (E/F tower): Declared April 16. Case details not provided but Trent University reports five student residence cases, down one from Monday. There were 18 reported on April 19. The university says not all cases may be linked to the Champlain College outbreak.
• 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.
• Empress Gardens Retirement Residence: Declared March 22 when a resident tested positive. There have been two residents who died in hospital due to COVID-19 complications. Another resident and staff member tested positive on April 16. On Wednesday, April 21  an additional resident had a positive test and a negative one and as a result must quarantine.

Since the pandemic was declared, the health unit has dealt with 248 COVID-19 cases associated with 40 outbreaks. There were 245 cases reported Monday tied to outbreaks.

Other COVID-19 data for Tuesday:

• Close contacts: 227, down from 247 on Monday.
• 49 cases have required hospitalized care since the pandemic was declared  — two more since Monday. Eight required the intensive care unit, unchanged since Friday.
• Fleming College: Reports no cases related to its Sutherland Campus in the city.
• Peterborough Regional Health Centre: Reports 17 COVID-19 inpatients — up four since Monday — and at least 60 patient transfers from other areas, unchanged since Monday.
• 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 49,600 people have been tested for COVID-19.

School-related cases in the health unit’s jurisdiction:

Kawartha Pine Ridge District School Board (board does specify if student or staff):

• None

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

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.