The good news-bad news rollercoaster that has marked the COVID-19 pandemic since day one is continuing true to form.
During her weekly media briefing held Wednesday (January 6), Peterborough’s medical officer of health Dr. Rosanna Salvaterra noted that, while she is expecting the first doses of vaccine to arrive locally before the end of January, infection numbers “have soared” as the full effects of the holiday season become apparent.
“We saw the beginning of our surge on Christmas Day with a tripling of our usual number of daily cases and this has been sustained with a record number of 20 new cases being reported one day this past weekend,” said Dr. Salvaterra.
The numbers lend proof to her assessment. As of Wednesday afternoon, there are currently 89 active cases of the virus in Peterborough Public Health’s catchment area of Peterborough city and county, Curve Lake and Hiawatha — a disturbing jump since December 23rd when there were 27 active cases locally.
“This represents a tripling of our (positive) cases over the past two weeks,” noted Dr. Salvaterra.
In total, there have been 399 local positive cases since the pandemic took hold in mid March 2020. That’s an increase of 119 cases over the past two weeks alone. In addition, public health is monitoring the status of 177 close contacts of positive cases — up from 107, again over the past two weeks.
“For the week starting December 28th, we reported 71 new cases,” reported Dr. Salvaterra. “For the week starting January 4th, so far we were at 13 new cases as of yesterday (Tuesday) evening. I can assure you this has increased again. In December, there were 137 new cases. So far, in January, we are already at 52 cases.”
“The trend is definitely worrisome. Fortunately, despite the significant rise in cases, there has been no change in the number of deaths in our community…these remain at five.”
Despite these sobering numbers, Dr. Salvaterra says it’s not all doom and gloom. An outbreak at Riverview Manor long-term care home on Water Street has been declared over, meaning there are no current outbreaks at senior care or retirement homes.
That said, three other outbreaks remain in effect, including a major outbreak that at its height saw 14 people — five residents and nine staff — test positive at a Peterborough community home overseen by Community Living Trent Highlands.
According to the Community Living Trent Highlands executive director Teresa Jordan, the outbreak was declared December 23rd. Five of the nine staff cases are now resolved while two of the five resident cases are likewise resolved. At this point, how COVID-19 was first introduced to that environment hasn’t been determined.
The other two outbreaks involve another congregate living facility, the identity of which hasn’t been disclosed as of yet by public health, and a workplace outbreak in Otonabee-South Monaghan that resulted in a “voluntary closure.” The number of cases associated with the congregate living facility were not released; the workplace outbreak has a total of eight cases, including four within the purview of Peterborough Public Health.
the answer is there are 8 total cases, with only 4 being local to our health unit area.
On the daily evolving vaccine front, Dr. Salvaterra said she’s “expecting” the first doses of vaccine to arrive locally before the end of January and the initial recipients will be residents of long-term care residences.
“We have areas in Ontario where the (COVID-19) risk is greater,” acknowledged Dr. Salvaterra.
“We have no outbreaks in long-term care at present. However, we have an increased incidence of COVID-19 and it’s growing every week. That will put the long-term care homes and their residents at greater risk.”
“We are preparing. We are meeting tomorrow (Thursday) with all of our home providers, long-term care and retirement homes and congregate living settings. There’s a checklist that will help them prepare for immunization. We have consent forms we will be sharing with them so as soon as we get delivery of vaccines we will be immunizing.”
That said, Dr. Salvaterra stressed once more that responsible individual behaviour is the best defence against continued community spread of the virus.
“Do I really need to go out? Can I do it virtually instead?” said Dr. Salvaterra, of what residents should be asking themselves.
“If you see a crowd, it’s up to you to turn around and stay away. Yes, we have enforcement in place but really it falls on the individual. If you have a symptom, get tested. If you are tested, don’t go shopping. Don’t go to work. Stay home until you get your result.”
Dr. Salvaterra added that while outdoor activity is encouraged, “Unless we can prevent crowding at outdoor rinks and on toboggan hills, we will see transmission of COVID occurring at those sites.”
She said the City of Peterborough will soon be posting capacity limit notices at rinks and toboggan hills. To that end, she noted there will be increased enforcement at outdoor winter activity locations.
“If I don’t see better adherence, I will have no other option but to order that these areas be closed,” she warned.
As for the suggestion from Premier Ford that the introduction of a curfew across Ontario isn’t off the table, Dr. Salvaterra said “There’s more that the province could be and should be doing,” adding she would “welcome” further measures as needed.
Also sitting in on Wednesday’s briefing were Peterborough Board of Health chair and Selwyn mayor Andy Mitchell, Peterborough Mayor Diane Therrien, Peterborough-Kawartha MP Maryam Monsef, and Peterborough County Warden J. Murray Jones — who made his frustration clear.
“We really need to get through to people that seem to want to protest this whole thing and go into denial,” said Warden Jones. “I’m hearing from them everyday, and I’m sure Diane (Mayor Therrien) is too, about how all this is phony and how their rights are being taken away.”
“We’ve really got to stop this nonsense and get together on this. Let’s be part of the solution, not part of the problem.”
Looking ahead, on Friday, January 15th at 2 p.m., Dr. Salvaterra will host a virtual community forum during which she will take questions from registered residents. To register, visit eventbrite.ca/e/135399941871. Dr. Salvaterra invites questions from the community in advance so she can try to address them during her presentation. A field to submit questions is included as part of the online registration process.
