COVID-19: Workplace outbreak declared at Home Instead in Peterborough; 3 new cases for region

Peterborough Public Health reported three new cases of COVID-19 and a new workplace outbreak, according to data released Thursday afternoon.

In its COVID tracker update issued around 4:04 p.m., the regional health unit reported 13 active cases, up from 12 reported on Wednesday.

Other data from the health unit on Thursday:

• Outbreaks: A workplace outbreak was declared Thursday at Home Instead on Charlotte Street. The company offers in-home senior care services. There are two cases associated with the outbreak. As of Thursday, the health unit has dealt with 338 cases associated with 58 outbreaks since the pandemic’s beginnings.
• Cumulative confirmed cases: 1,907 since the pandemic was declared in March 2020.
• Deaths: 24 — A death was reported over the weekend — a man in his 70s who was unvaccinated. It was the first death reported since Sept. 10.
• Variant of concern cases: 1,125 — one more case since Wednesday’s update. The first variant case was reported on Feb. 23 and the first confirmed Delta variant case was reported on June 19.
• Resolved cases: 1,870— two more since Wednesday. Resolved cases make up approximately 98 per cent of all cases.
• Close contacts:  39 — up from 36 reported on Wednesday. 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.
• Hospitalizations: 90 cases have required hospitalization since the pandemic began. Peterborough Regional Health Centre on Tuesday reported two COVID-19 admissions. The hospitalized cases make up approximately 4.7 per cent of all cases; 19 of the cases required the intensive care unit. ICU admissions make up one per cent of all the health unit’s cases since the pandemic’s beginnings.
• COVID-19 exposure: 75.5 per cent of all cases (1,440) in the health unit’s jurisdiction are from contact with another existing case, 19.9 per cent (380 cases) are connected with community spread, 3.9 per cent (75 cases) are related to travel and 0.6 per cent (12 cases) have yet to be determined.
• Testing: More than 63,400 people have been tested for COVID-19 — an additional 50 since Wednesday’s update.
• Enforcement: Since Oct. 1, five charges have been laid against a total of three businesses under the Reopening Ontario Act.

The Kawartha Pine Ridge District School Board, as of 9:57 a.m. Thursday, reported no active cases among its schools within the health unit’s jurisdiction (the school board does not state if cases involve students or staff). Two cases at Orono Public School were reported resolved.

The Peterborough Victoria Northumberland Clarington Catholic District School Board reported one active case at its schools within the health unit’s jurisdiction on Thursday afternoon (the school board does not state if cases involve students or staff). Data may not align with the health unit’s updates:

• St. John Catholic Elementary School in Peterborough: One case — unchanged. School remains open.

Trent University reported no active cases at its Peterborough and Durham campuses on Thursday afternoon. It says 94 per cent of students and 96 per cent of employees are fully vaccinated and two 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 releases its weekly vaccination rate data on Wednesday. The latest data can be found in this Global News Peterborough story.

Upcoming vaccination clinics offering first and second doses at the Healthy Planet Arena (911 Monaghan Rd.) in Peterborough include:

• Friday, Nov. 5: 10 a.m. to 3 p.m.
• Monday, Nov. 8 to Friday, Nov. 12: Each day 9 a.m. to 3 p.m.