COVID-19: Peterborough active cases at 41; closure order lifted on The White House

Peterborough Public Health reported three new cases of COVID-19 and rescinded a Section 22 order on a business, according to data released Friday afternoon

The health unit’s COVID tracker update, issued around 4:30 p.m., shows 41 active cases of COVID-19, down from 42 reported on Thursday and 45 over the previous two days in the health unit’s jurisdiction of Peterborough, Peterborough County, Hiawatha First Nation and Curve Lake First Nation.

Other data from the regional health unit on Friday:

• Outbreaks: Three active — An outbreak was declared Thursday on Student Transportation of Canada bus route 627 in Peterborough. An outbreak was declared Wednesday at Holy Cross Catholic Secondary School in Peterborough with two cases (an initial case was reported on Monday). An outbreak declared last Thursday at Rhema Christian School (a private school) in Peterborough remains active. The health unit has had 356 cases associated with 62 outbreaks since the pandemic was declared.
• Cumulative confirmed cases: 2,039 since the pandemic was declared in March 2020.
• Deaths: 24 — the latest death was reported on Oct. 30.
• Variant of concern cases: 1,177 — two more since Thursday. The first variant case was reported on Feb. 23 and the first confirmed Delta variant case was reported on June 19.
• Resolved cases: 1,974 — four more cases since Thursday. Resolved cases make up approximately 96.8 per cent of all cases.

• Close contacts: 322 — down from 334 reported on Thursday. 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 — unchanged. Peterborough Regional Health Centre on Thursday reported four active COVID-19 admissions (unchanged). 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 (1,526) in the health unit’s jurisdiction are from contact with another existing case, 20.5 per cent (417 cases) are connected with community spread, 3.8 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 65,600 people have been tested for COVID-19 — approximately one in three residents. It’s an additional 100 since Thursday’s update.
• Enforcement: Since Oct. 1, these charges have been laid against a total of four businesses under the Reopening Ontario Act. On Friday, the health unit rescinded a closure/Section 22 order issued last week against The White House nightclub/restaurant at 175 Charlotte St. On Nov. 21, the business was issued an $880 fine for exceeding the 25 per cent capacity limit. The health unit on Nov. 25 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 health unit releases its weekly vaccination rate data on Wednesdays. The most recent data can be found in this Global News Peterborough article.

Bookings for children ages five to 11 to receive a COVID-19 vaccine are available as well as third booster vaccinations. All appointments have to be booked on Ontario’s online portal or by calling the provincial vaccine booking call centre at 1-833-943-3900.

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.

The Peterborough Victoria Northumberland Clarington Catholic District School Board as of 1:55 p.m. Friday reported nine active cases at schools within the health unit’s jurisdiction. In Peterborough, there are two cases at Holy Cross Catholic Secondary School (outbreak) and three at St. Catherine Catholic Elementary School (an additional case) along with single cases at St. Peter Catholic Secondary School in Peterborough and St. Paul Catholic Elementary Schools found in Peterborough, Norwood and Lakefield. The school board does not indicate if cases involve students or staff. All schools remain open.

The Kawartha Pine Ridge District School Board at 9:35 a.m. Friday again reported five active cases among its schools within the health unit’s jurisdiction — single cases at Queen Elizabeth Public School and Adam Scott Intermediate (unchanged) and three cases at R.F. Downey Public School — each Peterborough school remains open. The school board does not indicate if cases involve students or staff.

Trent University reported a new case at its Peterborough campus on Friday afternoon and none at its Durham campus. 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.

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.