COVID-19: Peterborough active cases jump to 48; health unit closes The White House nightclub

Peterborough Public Health reported 16 new cases of COVID-19 over the weekend and has ordered a downtown business to close due to breaches of provincial protocols.

The health unit’s COVID tracker update, issued around 11:05 a.m., shows 48 active cases of COVID-19, up from 39 reported on both Thursday and Friday of last week. A month ago, on Oct. 29, there were 10 active cases.

Other data from the regional health unit on Monday:

• Outbreaks: Two active — An outbreak was declared Thursday at Rhema Christian School (a private school) in Peterborough (seven cases) and an outbreak declared Saturday at St. Paul Catholic Elementary School in Peterborough still has five cases as of Monday morning. Since the pandemic began, the health unit has dealt with 350 cases — one more since Friday — associated with 60 outbreaks.
• Cumulative confirmed cases: 2,020 since the pandemic was declared in March 2020.
• Deaths: 24 — the latest death was reported on Oct. 30.
• Variant of concern cases: 1,166 — one more since Friday. The first variant case was reported on Feb. 23 and the first confirmed Delta variant case was reported on June 19.
• Resolved cases: 1,948 — seven more cases since Friday. Resolved cases make up approximately 96.4 per cent of all cases.
• Close contacts: 179 — up from 178 on Friday. 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: 96 cases have required hospitalization since the pandemic began — unchanged since Nov. 24. Peterborough Regional Health Centre on Friday reported four active COVID-19 admissions (most recent data). The hospitalized cases make up approximately 4.8 per cent of all cases; 21 of the cases required the intensive care unit — unchanged since Nov. 23. ICU admissions make up 1.1 per cent of all the health unit’s cases since the pandemic’s beginning.
• COVID-19 exposure: 74.8 per cent of all cases (1,511) in the health unit’s jurisdiction are from contact with another existing case, 20.4 per cent (413 cases) are connected with community spread, 3.9 per cent (78 cases) are related to travel and 0.9 per cent (18 cases) have their source yet to be determined.
• Testing: More than 65,250 people have been tested for COVID-19 — approximately one in three residents. It’s an additional 150 since Friday’s update.
• Enforcement: Since Oct. 1, eight charges have been laid against a total of four businesses under the Reopening Ontario Act. Late Friday evening, The White House nightclub/restaurant at 175 Charlotte St. was issued a Closure/Section 22 order requiring “immediate closure” of the establishment. On Nov. 21, the business was issued an $880 fine for exceeding the 25 per cent capacity limit.  On Thursday, the health unit issued a Section 22 order against PB’s Peterburgers restaurant on George Street North to either comply with regulations or close the business for failing to follow Ontario’s COVID-19 protocols.

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The Peterborough Victoria Northumberland Clarington Catholic District School Board reported six cases at two city schools within the health unit’s jurisdiction — five with the outbreak at St. Paul Catholic Elementary (unchanged) and one at St. Peter Secondary School (unchanged since Thursday). The school board is dealing with single cases at two other schools outside the health unit’s jurisdiction. The school board does not indicate if cases involve students or staff.

The Kawartha Pine Ridge District School Board reported on Monday at 9:45 a.m. there was one active case among its schools within the health unit’s jurisdiction — R.F. Downey Public School in Peterborough. The school board is dealing with 33 other cases at 12 other schools outside the health unit’s jurisdiction. The school board does not indicate if cases involve students or staff.

Trent University reported no active cases at its Peterborough and Durham campuses as of Monday morning. The university reports that 96 per cent of students and 97 per cent of employees are fully vaccinated and zero per cent of students and zero per cent of staff are partially vaccinated.

Fleming College has not reported any cases at its Peterborough campus. The college will resume in-person classes and services in January 2022.

Bookings for children ages five to 11 to receive a COVID-19 vaccine began Tuesday. Clinics in Peterborough began on Monday morning.

The health unit in December will host a number of vaccination clinics for children ages five to 11 at several Peterborough County schools. All clinics will be held outside of school hours. Appointments have to be booked on Ontario’s online portal or by calling the provincial vaccine booking call centre at 1-833-943-3900.

Clinics include:

• Friday, Dec. 3: Norwood District High School from 4 p.m. to 7 p.m.
• Friday, Dec. 10: Apsley Public School from 4 p.m. to 7 p.m.
• Friday, Dec. 17: St. Martin Catholic Elementary School in Ennismore from 4 p.m. to 7 p.m.
• Monday, Dec. 20: Millbrook/South Cavan Public School from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m.
• Wednesday, Dec. 29: Lakefield District Public School from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m.

The health unit’s latest weekly vaccination rate data released on Wednesday can be found in this story.

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.

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.