Peterborough Public Health reported another COVID-19-related death along with 11 new cases and another workplace outbreak on Wednesday.
Details of the region’s 14th death were not immediately available. The last reported death in the health unit’s jurisdiction (Peterborough, Peterborough County, Hiawatha First Nation and Curve Lake First Nation) was on April 20.
On the health unit’s COVID tracker update issued at 4:25 p.m., the health unit reports 81 active cases of COVID-19 in its jurisdiction, down from 90 reported on Tuesday. A week ago there were 107 active cases.
The region’s variant case numbers continue to rise, now at 422 versus 416 on Tuesday afternoon. A week ago there were 379 variant cases. The health unit reported its first confirmed variant case — a B.1.1.7 variant, first reported in the U.K. — on Feb. 23.
Of the health unit’s 1,207 cumulative cases since the pandemic was declared 13 months ago, 1,112 are now resolved (1,095 were reported Tuesday) — approximately 92 per cent of the health unit’s total cases. An additional two cases were added Wednesday from previous days.
Outbreaks
A new workplace outbreak (#8) was declared on Wednesday — the second workplace outbreak this week. Case details were not made available on the latest case. The health unit generally does not identify workplace outbreaks unless there is concern of further community transmission.
Other active outbreaks — which Dr. Rosana Salvaterra, medical officer of health, said Tuesday remain stable — include:
- Workplace #7: Declared April 26. No case details provided.
- Champlain College residence (E/F tower): Declared April 16. Case details not provided but Trent University reports four student residence cases on Wednesday, down one from Tuesday. There were 18 cases 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 249 COVID-19 cases associated with 41 outbreaks. There were 248 cases reported Tuesday tied to outbreaks.
Other COVID-19 data for Wednesday:
- Close contacts: 233, up from 227 on Tuesday. There 247 reported on Monday.
- 52 cases have required hospitalized care since the pandemic was declared — three more since Tuesday. 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 18 COVID-19 inpatients — up one since Tuesday — and at least 62 patient transfers from other areas, two more since Tuesday.
- Death toll: 14 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 49,750 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 as of Wednesday.
Peterborough Victoria Northumberland Clarington Catholic District School Board:
- Two cases reported at St. Alphonsus Catholic Elementary School in Peterborough reported as resolved Wednesday
- 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.