COVID-19: 45 active cases in Peterborough area; several new cases at city schools

Peterborough Public Health reported six new cases of COVID-19 on Tuesday but active cases saw a slight drop.

The health unit’s COVID tracker update, issued around 4:45 p.m., shows 45 active cases of COVID-19, down from 48 reported on Monday. There were 39 on Friday. On Nov 1. there were 14 active cases (Oct. 30 was on a weekend, on which the health unit does not provide updates).

Other data from the regional health unit on Tuesday:

• 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 Tuesday afternoon. Since the pandemic began, the health unit has dealt with 352 cases — two more since Tuesday — associated with 60 outbreaks.
• Cumulative confirmed cases: 2,026 since the pandemic was declared in March 2020.
• Deaths: 24 — the latest death was reported on Oct. 30.
• Variant of concern cases: 1,173 —seven more since Monday. The first variant case was reported on Feb. 23 and the first confirmed Delta variant case was reported on June 19.
• Resolved cases: 1,957 — nine more cases since Tuesday. Resolved cases make up approximately 96.5 per cent of all cases.
• Close contacts: 237 — up from 179 on Monday. 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: 97 cases have required hospitalization since the pandemic began — one more since Monday. Peterborough Regional Health Centre late Monday reported five active COVID-19 admissions — up one case from Friday. 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 (1,515) in the health unit’s jurisdiction are from contact with another existing case, 20.4 per cent (413 cases) are connected with community spread, 3.8 per cent (78 cases) are related to travel and one per cent (20 cases) have their source yet to be determined.
• Testing: More than 65,300 people have been tested for COVID-19 — approximately one in three residents. It’s an additional 50 since Monday’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.

The Peterborough Victoria Northumberland Clarington Catholic District School Board reported nine cases at four city schools within the health unit’s jurisdiction — a single case was reported Tuesday at Holy Cross Catholic Secondary School and two late Tuesday at St. Catherine Catholic Elementary School. There are still five active cases with the outbreak at St. Paul Catholic Elementary (unchanged) and one case at St. Peter Catholic 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 Tuesday at 9:55 a.m. there are three active cases among its schools within the health unit’s jurisdiction — a new case at Adam Scott Intermediate and two cases at  R.F. Downey Public School in Peterborough (one new case on Tuesday). The school board is dealing with 29 other cases at 13 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 Tuesday afternoon. 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 are available. 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 in Peterborough began on Monday.

The health unit will host an online information session on Dec. 9  to answer questions about vaccines for parents of children ages five to 11

The health unit will host a number of vaccination clinics for children at several Peterborough County schools. All clinics will be held outside of school hours.

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.

2:06 COVID-19: Doctors encourage vaccination as Omicron variant emerges

• COVID-19: Doctors encourage vaccination as Omicron variant emerges
• COVID-19: Dr. Moore ‘does not anticipate’ vaccine certification will be applied to children aged 5-11 in Ontario
• Was the Pfizer’s pediatric vaccine approval rushed? Experts weigh in
• Global News Morning Peterborough: PVNCCDSB addresses vaccination misinformation

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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.