COVID-19: HKPR reports 20 in hospital with 10 in ICU; active lab-confirmed cases over 400

The Haliburton, Kawartha, Pine Ridge District Health Unit reported another 57 new lab-confirmed cases of COVID-19, but no new deaths or outbreaks, according to data released on Wednesday afternoon.

In her weekly media briefing Wednesday, medical officer of health Dr. Natalie Bocking, said the health unit’s jurisdiction should expect to see cases peak or plateau within the next week or so.

“Which is in line with what provincial modelling had anticipated,” said Bocking.

The regional health unit’s dashboard around 1:30 p.m. Wednesday reported the following:

New lab-confirmed cases: 57 since Tuesday’s update — 32 in the City of Kawartha Lakes, 24 in Northumberland County and one in Haliburton County.

Active lab-confirmed cases: 406 — up from 370 reported on Tuesday — which includes 244 in the Kawarthas, 150 in Northumberland and 10 in Haliburton County, with two cases pending. The health unit notes that due to changes in provincial testing guidelines, the number of active cases is an “underestimate” of community spread.

Deaths: 87 — unchanged since Tuesday following two deaths reported on Monday. There have been nine deaths reported this month — four of them residents at a long-term care home. Since the pandemic was declared, the health unit has reported 65 deaths in the City of Kawartha Lakes, 21 in Northumberland County and one in Haliburton County.

Hospitalized cases: 20 people are currently in hospital — two fewer than Tuesday’s update. Ten of them are in an intensive care unit — one more since Tuesday. There have been 158 cumulative hospitalized cases since the pandemic was declared (one more): 86 in the Kawarthas (one more), with 67 in Northumberland (unchanged) and five in Haliburton County (unchanged).

As of noon Wednesday, Ross Memorial Hospital in Lindsay reported 10 hospitalized cases (three more) with eight identifying COVID-19 as the “primary cause of admission.” (two more).

Bocking noted since Jan. 1, 2022, there have been 39 admissions to hospital for COVID-19 with 12 in an ICU.

Of the 39 hospital admissions this month, 49 per cent were unvaccinated. Fifty-three per cent of admissions were age 70 and over and two admissions were under the age of 20. “It’s uncommon for this region,” Bocking noted of the younger admissions.

Of the 12 ICU admissions this month, 67 per cent (eight) were unvaccinated and 41 per cent were age 70 or older.

Case incidence rare: 270 per 100,000. Prior to Omicron, the health unit averaged five per 100,000 and during the peak of the third wave of the pandemic last summer, the health unit reported 90 cases per 100,000, Bocking noted.

Cumulative cases: 5,925 since the pandemic’s beginning — 21 pending with 2,846 in the Kawarthas (48.2 per cent), 2,729 in Northumberland County (46.2 per cent) and 329 in Haliburton County (5.6 per cent).

Resolved cases: 5,445 — an additional 66 since Tuesday’s update. The resolved cases make up approximately 92 per cent of all cases.

Testing: Ross Memorial Hospital’s COVID-19 assessment centre is operating out of the Victoria Park Armoury on Kent Street West in Lindsay. More details are available in this article.

Vaccination: The latest vaccination rate data can be found in this Global News Peterborough article. The health unit has appointments available at COVID-19 vaccination clinics being held throughout the region. A list of dates and times is available on the health unit’s website. Residents are also encouraged to check with local pharmacies or their primary health-care providers for more opportunities to get vaccinated.

Walk-in clinics are now available for anyone age 5 and older looking for a first, second or booster dose. Walk-in times will be held 1 p.m. to 4:30 p.m. at any of the health unit’s mass immunization clinics in Cobourg, Lindsay, Colborne, Minden, Fenelon Falls, Brighton and Campbellford. For those who still prefer a set time for a vaccine, appointments can continue to be made on the provincial booking system or by calling 1-833-943-3900 (TTY for people who are deaf, hearing-impaired or speech-impaired: 1-866-797-0007).

The decision to expand walk-ins to anyone eligible for a vaccine comes just over a week after the health unit had announced people age 50 and older and immunocompromised individuals could walk into any of its vaccination clinics to be immunized.

“This is a natural progression to make COVID-19 vaccines more available and accessible to people in Northumberland County, Haliburton County and the City of Kawartha Lakes,” said Bocking. “We know vaccines, especially booster doses, provide excellent protection against COVID-19 and reduce the risk of serious illness and hospitalization. That is why we encourage anyone still waiting for a dose to walk in, or make an appointment, to get their shot.”

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The health unit only reports outbreaks at “high-risk settings.” As of Wednesday afternoon, there are 24 active outbreaks — unchanged since Monday — which include the following (unless noted, case data unavailable):

• Northumberland Hills Hospital in Cobourg: Declared Jan. 22 on Unit 2A inpatient unit.
• Fenelon Court long-term care in Fenelon Falls: Declared Jan. 21.
• Extendicare Port Hope: Declared Jan. 19.
• Community Living in Dysart et Al in Haliburton County: Declared Jan. 17.
• Central East Correctional Centre: Declared Jan. 17. Outbreaks were declared on “multiple units.” The province on Jan. 23 reported 28 cases among inmates (most recent data).
• Transition House Shelter in Cobourg: Declared Jan. 17. Northumberland County, which runs the shelter, reported five cases on Jan. 17 — two clients and three staff members.
• Christian Horizons in Lindsay. Declared Jan. 14.
• Extendicare Cobourg in Cobourg: Declared Jan. 11
• Community Living Group Home in Campbellford: Declared Jan. 11.
• Northumberland Hills Hospital in Cobourg: Declared Jan. 10 in an inpatient rehab unit.
• William Place Retirement Home in Lindsay: Declared Jan. 10.
• Community Living Group Home Cobourg: Declared Jan. 7.
• Caressant Care Retirement Home in Lindsay: Declared Jan. 6. The home on Jan. 19 reported 10 active cases: eight residents and two staff members (most recent data).
• Victoria Manor Home for the Aged in Lindsay: Declared Jan. 6.
• Christian Horizons Site D in Cobourg: Declared Jan. 5.
• Community Living Group Home — Warkworth: Declared Jan. 5.
• Case Manor Long-term Care Home in Bobcaygeon: Declared Jan. 4, the home at 10:15 a.m. Wednesday reported no active cases for a second straight day. There have been 14 resolved cases (two residents and 12 staff members).
• Regency long-term care in Port Hope: Declared Jan. 4. The facility on Wednesday reported 17 active cases — unchanged since Tuesday — 14 residents and three staff members. All are fully vaccinated.
• Caressant Care Mary Street long-term care in Lindsay: Declared Jan. 2 with three staff positive cases. On Jan. 24 the home reported 19 active cases — two residents (24 resolved) and 17 staff members (42 resolved). The home also reported its third resident death. Two resident deaths were reported on Jan. 14.
• Warkworth Place long-term care in Warkworth: Declared Dec. 31, 2021.
• Caressant Care McLaughlin long-term care in Lindsay: Declared Dec. 30, 2021. The home on Jan. 21 reported 21 active cases — 13 residents and eight staff members. A resident death was reported on Jan. 12 amid the outbreak.
• Hope Street Terrace long-term care in Port Hope: Declared Dec. 28, 2021, the home on Wednesday for the third-straight day reported no active cases among residents and staff.
• Golden Plough Lodge long-term care in Cobourg: Declared Dec. 26, 2021, initially with two employee cases. The home on Jan. 1 reported four cases — an additional three staff members and one resident.
• Warkworth Institution: Declared Dec. 21, 2021, the health unit initially reported 19 confirmed cases. Correctional Service of Canada reported as of Jan. 24 there were five active cases among inmates (down two from Jan. 23; most recent data available).