COVID-19: Outbreak declared at Norwood school; 32 active cases in Peterborough area

Entering the Thanksgiving long weekend, Peterborough Public Health reported three new cases of COVID-19 and another school outbreak — the third declared this week.

From its COVID tracker update issued around 4:50 p.m., the regional health unit reported 32 active cases for the second consecutive day.

Other data from the health unit — which serves Peterborough, Peterborough County, Hiawatha First Nation and Curve Lake First Nation — on Friday:

• Cumulative confirmed cases: 1,854 since the pandemic was declared in March 2020.
• Variant of concern cases: 1,083— an additional three cases since Thursday (1,080). The first confirmed Delta variant case was reported on June 19 and the first variant case was reported on Feb. 23.
• Resolved cases: 1,799 — an additional three cases since Thursday (1,796). Resolved cases make up approximately 97 per cent of all cases.
• Close contacts: 310 — up from 266 reported on Thursday. A close contact is a person who is known to have had close contact with someone who was infected with COVID-19. People who are close contacts have to self-isolate for 14 days from the last time they had contact with a person infected with COVID-19.

• Deaths: 23 — the latest death was reported on Sept. 10, the first since June 29.
• Peterborough Regional Health Centre: Reported no COVID-19 inpatients as of Friday. Since the pandemic’s beginnings there have been at least 76 patient transfers from other areas.
• Hospitalizations: 88 cases have required hospitalized care since the pandemic began, making up approximately five per cent of all cases — 18 of the cases required the intensive care unit. ICU admissions make up one per cent of the cases.
• Outbreaks: 4 active: An outbreak was declared Friday at St. Paul Catholic Elementary in Norwood with three cases. Other outbreaks include St. Paul Catholic Elementary School in Lakefield (declared late Wednesday evening, now up to five cases on Friday); Havelock-Belmont Public School in Havelock (declared Oct. 3. As of Friday there are 10 cases) and a Peterborough County workplace (declared Oct. 1, no case details provided). The health unit has dealt with 328 cases — four more since Thursday — associated with 55 outbreaks since the pandemic was declared in March 2020.
• COVID-19 exposure: 75.8 per cent of all cases (1,405) in the health unit’s jurisdiction are from contact with another existing case; 20.1 per cent (372 cases) are connected with community spread; 3.8 per cent (70 cases) are related to travel and 0.4 per cent (7 cases) have yet to be determined.
• Testing: More than 61,250 people have been tested for COVID-19 — an additional 150 since Thursday’s update.

The Peterborough Victoria Northumberland Clarington Catholic District School Board reports nine cases within the health unit’s jurisdiction on Friday (the school board does not state if cases involve students or staff):

• St. Paul Catholic Elementary School in Norwood: Three cases — one more since Thursday. An outbreak was declared Friday. The kindergarten to Grade 8 school remains open.
• St. Paul Catholic Elementary School in Lakefield: Five cases — two more since Thursday. The kindergarten to Grade 8 school remains open, however, two classes are dismissed and a “few” individual students identified as close contacts on a school bus have also been dismissed, according to Galen Eagle, the board’s communications manager
• Holy Cross Catholic Secondary School in Peterborough: One case  — unchanged since Sept. 27. The school remains open.

The Kawartha Pine Ridge District School Board, as of 9:40 a.m. Friday, reports 12 active cases among its schools (the school board does not state if cases involve students or staff):

• Havelock-Belmont Public School in Havelock: 10 cases — unchanged since Wednesday morning. An outbreak was declared on Oct. 3. On Tuesday, officials ordered the junior kindergarten to Grade 6 school closed until at least Oct. 15.
• Kenner Collegiate Vocational Institute in Peterborough: One case, unchanged since Monday. The school remains open.
• Adam Scott Collegiate and Vocational Institute in Peterborough: One case, unchanged since Monday. The school remains open.

Trent University reports one active case at its Durham campus on Friday — unchanged since Thursday. There are no active cases at the Peterborough campus. The university also reports 91 per cent of students and 96 per cent of employees are fully vaccinated. Another five per cent of students and one per cent of staff are partially vaccinated.

Fleming College has not reported any cases at its Peterborough campus.

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The health unit released its weekly vaccination rate data on Wednesday, which can be found in this Global News Peterborough story.

This month, the health unit is hosting a number of walk-in vaccination clinics for anyone aged 12 and older, offering first and second doses, including:

• Friday, Oct. 8: St. Joseph’s Catholic Elementary School, 405 Douro 4th Line in Douro — 4:30 p.m. to 7 p.m.
• Saturday, Oct. 9: Havelock-Belmont-Methuen Community Centre in Havelock — 9 a.m. to 3 p.m.
• Monday Oct. 11, Wednesday, Oct, and Friday, Oct. 15: Healthy Planet Arena, 911 Monaghan Road in Peterborough – 10 a.m. to 3 p.m.
• Thursday, Oct. 14: Peterborough Sport and Wellness Centre, 766 Brealey Dr. in Peterborough — 3 p.m. to 7 p.m.

Clinics being held at area schools next week:

• Tuesday, Oct. 12:  St. Peter’s Catholic Secondary School (730 Medical Dr. in Peterborough) — 3 p.m. to 6 p.m. and Thomas A. Stewart Secondary School (1009 Armour Rd. in Peterborough) — 3:30 p.m. to 6:30 p.m.
• Wednesday, Oct 13: Crestwood Secondary School (1885 Sherbrooke St. W. Peterborough) — 3 p.m. to 6 p.m.
• Thursday, Oct. 14: Lakefield College School (4391 County Rd. 29 in. Lakefield) — 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.
• Friday, Oct. 15: Adam Scott Collegiate Vocational Institute (175 Langton St. in Peterborough) — 3:30 p.m. to 6:30 p.m.

All testing and medical assessments for COVID-19 in Peterborough are now consolidated at Peterborough Regional Health Centre’s assessment centre at 1 Hospital Dr. Appointments must be booked online.

A number of Peterborough and area pharmacies offer vaccinations to eligible recipients. Appointments are required and can be made by calling the respective pharmacies or visiting the Ontario government’s website.