COVID-19: Outbreak lifted at Empress Gardens Retirement in Peterborough; 11 new cases for area

A deadly COVID-19 outbreak that lasted 44 days was lifted Wednesday at a Peterborough retirement residence.

According to executive director Renée Nixon, health officials declared the outbreak at Empress Gardens Retirement Residence on May 5. Initially declared on March 22 when a staff member tested positive for COVID-19, the outbreak claimed the lives of two residents, the first on Easter weekend, the second on April 8. Both residents died of COVID-19 complications in hospital.

Then on April 16, another resident and staff member at the 87-bed facility tested positive. On April 30, the home reported all cases were resolved.

Nixon said operations are being returned to normal, however, due to Ontario’s current stay-at-home order, visitations remain suspended until at least May 20.

“I want to take a moment to acknowledge the extraordinary efforts our team has put forth over the past several weeks,” she said. “Their dedication and compassion for our residents throughout the outbreak have made me very proud. I want to thank each and every one of them for their hard work and perseverance.”

Nixon said surveillance testing for staff will continue, along with infection control protocols, including routine symptom screening of staff and residents and auditing of the home’s practices. She also encouraged all family members to get vaccinated as soon as possible.

“A sincere thank you to all of our residents and their loved ones for your patience, understanding and adherence to the infection control measures during the outbreak,” she said. “I know it was incredibly difficult for everyone, and I truly appreciate you all working with us despite the personal sacrifices involved. We could not have done this without all of you.”

Peterborough Public Health reported 11 new cases of the coronavirus on Wednesday afternoon.

Active cases in the health unit’s jurisdiction sit at 73, down from 74 reported on Tuesday, according to the COVID tracker update issued at 4:15 p.m. The health unit serves Peterborough, Peterborough County, Hiawatha First Nation and Curve Lake First Nation.

Variant cases, however, continue in the opposite direction, climbing to 470, up from 467 on Tuesday. The health unit reported its first variant case on Feb. 23.

The tracker also reports 1,178 resolved cases among 1,265 cumulative cases (one removed from a previous day) since the pandemic was declared in March 2020. It’s the second straight day 11 more cases were resolved, making up approximately 93 per cent of the total cases.

Active outbreaks for the health unit as of Wednesday include:

• Sunshine Child Care Centre on Bensfort Road in Peterborough: Declared Monday, May 3. Province reports Wednesday two cases with staff members.
• Home child care centre in Peterborough County: Declared Monday, May 3. Case details were not available — adults and children impacted.
• Workplace #8: Declared April 28. No case details were provided
• Workplace #7: Declared April 26. 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.

On Ontario’s COVID-19 website for schools and child care centres, the following locations are listed with COVID-19 cases (as of 10:30 a.m. Wednesday): CELC-Janet Castle Early Learning Program (one adult case); Compass Early Learning and Care (one child case) and Compass Early Learning and Care Shamrock in Ennismore (three child cases). 

Since the pandemic was declared, the health unit has dealt with 259 COVID-19 cases (one more since Tuesday) associated with 43 outbreaks.

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Other COVID-19 data for Wednesday:

• Close contacts: 204, down from 213 reported on Tuesday, May 4.
• At least 53 cases have required hospitalized care since the pandemic was declared  — unchanged since April 29. Eight required the intensive care unit, unchanged since April 23.
• Trent University reports no student residence cases as of 4:30 p.m. Wednesday.
• Fleming College: reports no cases related to its Sutherland Campus in the city.
• Peterborough Regional Health Centre: reports 15 COVID-19 inpatients — down two since Tuesday, May 4 — and at least 67 patient transfers from other areas, unchanged since Tuesday, May 4.
• Death toll: 14 since the pandemic was declared, two linked to an 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 50,400 people have been tested for COVID-19 — an additional 200 since Tuesday, May 4.

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

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

• None as of Wednesday at 10:30 a.m.

Peterborough Victoria Northumberland Clarington Catholic District School Board:

• Holy Cross Catholic Secondary School in Peterborough — one case

Vaccination appointments must be made via the provincial call centre at 1-833-943-3900, available daily 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. or anytime online.

Peterborough pharmacies offering the AstraZeneca vaccine to anyone aged 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.