A dramatic rise in COVID-19 cases in Peterborough will likely result in the Ontario government soon moving the region into the very restrictive ‘Red-Control’ level of its COVID-19 response framework.
During a Peterborough Public Health media briefing held Thursday (March 4), medical officer of health Dr. Rosana Salvaterra reported there are 63 active positive cases of COVID-19 in the region.
However, of greater concern is the weekly rate of local positive cases per 100,000 people, which has grown to 40 this week from 16 last week.
“Forty cases per 100,000 is the threshold for moving into the Red-Control level,” said Dr. Salvaterra, noting local data is presently being shared with the office of Ontario’s chief medical officer of health.
“We are expecting a decision that might see Peterborough moved into a more restrictive level to align better with the amount of COVID-19 transmission that appears to be occurring here now,” Dr. Salvaterra said.
“These decisions are usually made on Friday for the following Monday, but the chief medical officer of health does have his emergency break authority so he could implement something sooner and something even more severe.”
On February 26th, Ontario did just that for Thunder Bay District Health Unit and Simcoe-Muskoka District Health Unit, moving the two regions into the most restrictive ‘Grey-Lockdown’ level to curb community transmission of the virus. At the same time, the province also moved Niagara Region Public Health into the ‘Red-Control’ level.
If Peterborough moves into the ‘Red-Control’ level, existing restrictions would be tightened ever further, including fewer people allowed to gather (5 indoors, 25 outdoors), a maximum of four people seated together in restaurants, reduced capacity in retail stores, the closure of movie theatres, and more. For a complete list of restrictions, visit ontario.ca/page/covid-19-response-framework-keeping-ontario-safe-and-open#red.
The culprit behind the dramatic rise in positive COVID-19 cases in the Peterborough region remains the outbreak stemming from one or more parties held February 20th at the Severn Court Student Residence on Wilfred Drive, in the southeast of the city near Fleming College.
To date, 44 positive cases have been detected, 30 of which have screened positive as a presumed COVID-19 variant of concern that is more transmissible. In addition, there are 40 high-risk cases living at the six-building complex, and there are more than 60 high-risk contacts identified outside of Severn Court.
A Section 22 class order previously issued by Dr. Salvaterra has closed the privately owned student residence to visitors, and requires by law that all 200 students living at the complex self-isolate. Meanwhile all in-person instruction of some 700 students at Fleming’s Sutherland Campus has been suspended until at least March 14th.
According to Dr. Salvaterra, one student who defied her Section 22 order has been warned.
As for any charges related to the party or parties held February 20th, a city police investigation has been ongoing with more news on that front imminent. However, inspector John Lyons says the large number of people involved has presented a challenge in terms of who, if anyone, will be charged.
“We’re trying to isolate and identify any and all of those involved,” he said. “That does take some time. Also we have people in quarantine, so that makes it very difficult to make contact with individuals involved. There also has been some movement of people.”
“There’s a lot of misinformation that has been provided to try and distract any potential investigation,” Lyons added. “We can’t charge people just because it’s time-sensitive — we have to be thorough.”
When charged, an individual receives a ticket for $750. Because seven days have passed since the February 20th incident being investigated, anyone ticketed will have to appear in court as opposed to just paying the fine and walking away.
Meanwhile, Fleming College president Maureen Adamson noted the college is launching its own investigation.
“Under our student rights’ responsibility policy, we would set up a tribunal where we would have representation from our student association, faculty, and an administrator,” she explained. “Once we determine who the individuals (involved) are, we’ll look at each individual’s circumstances and determine what might be an appropriate action.”
“It could be anything along the continuum — a written reprimand, suspension, (the signing of) a behavioural contract, all the way through to the ultimate which would be expelling the student,” Adamson added.
