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Ontario reports 1,371 new COVID-19 cases, including 19 in greater Kawarthas region

By kawarthaNOW -

Here’s an update on COVID-19 cases in Ontario as well as in the greater Kawarthas region.

With Ontario reporting 1,371 new cases today, the provincial government has announced four public health units will be moving to more restrictive levels in the province’s colour-coded COVID-19 response framework: Sudbury and Lambton are moving into ‘Grey-Lockdown’, Northwestern is moving into ‘Red-Control’, and Leeds, Grenville and Lanark is moving into ‘Yellow-Protect’. With the exception of Sudbury, which moves into its new level on March 13, the remaining changes take effect on March 15.

The seven-day average of daily cases has increased by 17 to 1,269. Today’s new cases include 49 more cases of the B.1.1.7 UK variant (for a total of 1,005), 1 more case of the B.1.351 South Africa variant (for a total of 42), and 6 more cases of the P.1 Brazilian variant (for a total of 34).

In the greater Kawarthas region, there are 19 new cases to report and an additional 12 cases resolved, with the number of active cases across the region increasing by 10 to 126.

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Most of today’s new cases are in Toronto (371), Peel (225), York (111), and Hamilton (109).

There are double-digit increases in Ottawa (83), Thunder Bay (52), Simcoe Muskoka (43), Windsor-Essex (39), Sudbury (37), Waterloo (36), Durham (35), Halton (34), Middlesex-London (31), Lambton (27), Niagara (22), Wellington-Dufferin-Guelph (19), Northwestern (13), Eastern Ontario (12), Brant (11), Leeds, Grenville & Lanark (10), and Chatham-Kent (10), with smaller increases in Kingston, Frontenac and Lennox (9), Renfrew (9), and Haldimand-Norfolk (6).

The remaining 10 health units are reporting 5 or fewer new cases, with 2 health units reporting no new cases at all.

Of today’s new cases, 57% are among people 39 and younger, with the highest number of cases (504) among people ages 20-39 followed by 359 cases among people ages 40-59.

With 1,124 more cases resolved since yesterday, the percentage of resolved cases is unchanged at 94.1%. The average positivity rate across Ontario is unchanged from yesterday at 2.4%, meaning that 24 out of every 1,000 tests performed were positive for COVID-19 on March 11.

Ontario is reporting 18 new COVID-19 deaths today, with no new deaths in long-term care homes. Ontario has averaged 12 new daily deaths over the past week (no change from yesterday).

Hospitalizations have decreased by 4 from yesterday to 676, with the number of patients with COVID-19 in ICUs increasing by 5 to 282 and the number of patients with COVID-19 on ventilators increasing by 5 to 189.

A total of 64,611 tests were completed yesterday, with the backlog of tests under investigation decreasing by 5,289 to 36,744.

A total of 1,062,910 doses of vaccine have now been administered, an increase of 43,503 from yesterday, with 282,748 people fully vaccinated with both doses of vaccine, an increase of 1,034 from yesterday, representing 1.92% of Ontario’s population.

There are 137 new cases in Ontario schools, an increase of 13 from yesterday, including 99 student cases and 38 staff cases. There are 20 new cases in licensed child care settings in Ontario, a decrease of 7 from yesterday, with 14 cases among children and 6 cases among staff.

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In the greater Kawarthas region, there are 19 new cases to report, including 10 in Peterborough, 4 in Northumberland, 3 in Hastings Prince Edward, and 2 in Kawartha Lakes. There are no new cases in Haliburton.

There is 1 new COVID-related death to report in Northumberland.

There are 8 new cases of presumed variants of concern in Peterborough, for a total of 109.

An additional 12 cases have been resolved, including 9 in Peterborough, 2 in Hastings Prince Edward, and 1 in Kawartha Lakes.

There are currently 126 active cases in the greater Kawarthas region, an increase of 10 from yesterday, including 79 in Peterborough, 20 in Northumberland, 13 in Hastings Prince Edward (3 in Quinte West, 6 in Belleville, 2 in Tyendinaga & Deseronto, 1 in Prince Edward County, and 1 in Tyendinaga Mohawk Territory), 13 in Kawartha Lakes, and 1 in Haliburton.

Since the pandemic began in the greater Kawarthas region, there have been 759 confirmed positive cases in the Peterborough area (671 resolved with 9 deaths), 556 in the City of Kawartha Lakes (501 resolved with 55 deaths), 464 in Northumberland County (432 resolved with 12 deaths), 52 in Haliburton County (50 resolved with 1 death), and 436 in Hastings and Prince Edward counties (417 resolved with 6 deaths). The most recent death was reported in Northumberland on March 12.

The provincial data in this report is pulled from Ontario’s integrated Public Health Information System (iPHIS) at 12 p.m. the previous day. Data from local health units is more current and is usually reflected in the provincial data the following day. There may be discrepancies between the Ontario data reported today (which is from yesterday) and the local health unit data reported today (which is from today).

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Peterborough Public Health

Peterborough Public Health’s service area is the City and County of Peterborough and the Hiawatha and Curve Lake First Nations.

The health unit provides daily reports, including on weekends, excluding statutory holidays.

Confirmed positive: 759 (increase of 12)*
Confirmed variants of concern cases: 1 (no change)
Presumed variants of concern cases: 109 (increase of 8)
Active cases: 79 (increase of 3)
Close contacts: 201 (decrease of 21)
Deaths: 9 (no change)
Resolved: 671 (increase of 9)
Hospitalizations (total to date): 26 (no change)*
Total tests completed: Over 44,650 (increase of 150)
Outbreaks: Severn Court Student Residence, Trent Champlain College residence, Regency retirement home in Lakefield (no change)
Vaccine doses administered: 10,320 (increase of 4,393, last updated March 11)

*The health unit is reporting 10 new cases in the last 24 hours. However, 2 caes have been added to previous days, increasing the total case count by 12.

**As of March 12, Peterborough Regional Health Centre is reporting fewer than 5 patients hospitalized with COVID-19 and 19 patients transferred from other areas as a result of a provincial directive (increase of 2).

 

Haliburton, Kawartha, Pine Ridge District Health Unit

The Haliburton, Kawartha, Pine Ridge District Health Unit’s service area is the City of Kawartha Lakes, Northumberland County, and Haliburton County.

The health unit provides reports from Monday to Saturday, excluding Sundays and statutory holidays.

Confirmed positive: 1,072, including 556 in Kawartha Lakes, 464 in Northumberland, and 52 in Haliburton (increase of 6, including 2 in Kawartha Lakes and 4 in Northumberland)*
Cases with N501Y mutation: 21, including 3 in Kawartha Lakes and 18 in Northumberland (no change)**
Active cases: 34, including 13 in Kawartha Lakes, 20 in Northumberland, and 1 in Haliburton (increase of 6, including 2 in Kawartha Lakes and 4 in Northumberland)
Probable cases: 1 (increase of 1 in Kawartha Lakes)
High-risk contacts: 264, including 166 in Kawartha Lakes, 44 in Northumberland, and 4 in Haliburton (net increase of 19)***
Hospitalizations (total to date): 47, including 27 in Kawartha Lakes, 17 in Northumberland, and 3 in Haliburton (no change)****
Deaths (including among probable cases): 68, including 55 in Kawartha Lakes, 12 in Northumberland, and 1 in Haliburton (increase of 1 in Northumberland)
Resolved: 983, including 501 in Kawartha Lakes, 432 in Northumberland, 50 in Haliburton (increase of 1 in Kawartha Lakes)
Tests completed: 151,837 (increase of 781)
Outbreaks: CrossFit Lindsay (no change)

*The health unit states that total counts and counts for individual counties may fluctuate from previously reported counts as cases are transferred to or from the health unit based on case investigation details and routine data cleaning.

**The N501Y mutation has been identified in variants of concern including the B.1.1.7 UK variant, the B.1.351 South Africa variant, and the P.1 Brazilian variant.

***This total includes an additional 50 high-risk contacts directly followed up through the Public Health Ontario contact tracing process that are missing the contacts’ county.

****As of March 12, Ross Memorial Hospital in Lindsay reports no patients hospitalized with COVID-19 (no change).

 

Hastings Prince Edward Public Health

Hastings Prince Edward Public Health’s service area is Hastings County (including Bancroft) and Prince Edward County.

The health unit provides daily reports, including on weekends, excluding statutory holidays.

Confirmed positive: 436 (increase of 3)
Confirmed variants of concern cases: 5 (no change)
Active cases: 13 (increase of 1)
Deaths: 6 (no change)
Currently hospitalized: 0 (no change)
Currently hospitalized and in ICU: 0 (no change)
Currently hospitalized and in ICU on ventilator (total to date): 0 (no change)
Resolved: 417 (increase of 2)
Tests completed: 71,402 (no change)
Vaccine doses administered: 11,500 (increase of 821)
Outbreaks: Unidentified workplace in Belleville (no change)

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Province of Ontario

Confirmed positive: 314,891 (increase of 1,371)
Total COVID-19 variant cases: 1,005 of B.1.1.7 UK variant (increase of 49); 42 of B.1.351 South Africa variant (increase of 1); 34 of P.1 Brazilian variant (increase of 6)
7-day average of daily new cases: 1,269 (increase of 17)
Resolved: 296,252 (increase of 1,124), 94.1% of all cases
Positivity rate: 2.4% (no change)
Hospitalizations: 676 (decrease of 4)
Hospitalizations in ICU: 282 (increase of 5)
Hospitalizations in ICU on ventilator: 189 (increase of 5)
Deaths: 7,127 (increase of 18)
7-day average of daily new deaths: 12 (no change)
Deaths of residents in long-term care homes: 3,877 (no change)
Total tests completed: 11,649,060 (increase of 64,611)
Tests under investigation: 36,744 (decrease of 5,289)
Vaccination doses administered: 1,062,910 (increase of 43,503)
People fully vaccinated (two doses): 282,748 (increase of 1,034), 1.92% of Ontario’s population (est. 70-90% required for herd immunity)

COVID-19 cases in Ontario from February 9 - March 11, 2021. The red line is the number of new cases reported daily, and the dotted green line is a five-day moving average of new cases. (Graphic: kawarthaNOW.com)
COVID-19 cases in Ontario from February 9 – March 11, 2021. The red line is the number of new cases reported daily, and the dotted green line is a five-day moving average of new cases. (Graphic: kawarthaNOW.com)
COVID-19 tests completed in Ontario from February 9 - March 11, 2021. The red line is the daily number of tests completed, and the dotted green line is a five-day moving average of tests completed. (Graphic: kawarthaNOW.com)
COVID-19 tests completed in Ontario from February 9 – March 11, 2021. The red line is the daily number of tests completed, and the dotted green line is a five-day moving average of tests completed. (Graphic: kawarthaNOW.com)
COVID-19 hospitalizations and ICU admissions in Ontario from February 9 - March 11, 2021. The red line is the daily number of COVID-19 hospitalizations, the dotted green line is a five-day moving average of hospitalizations, the purple line is the daily number of patients with COVID-19 in ICUs, and the dotted orange line is a five-day moving average of is a five-day moving average of patients with COVID-19 in ICUs. (Graphic: kawarthaNOW.com)
COVID-19 hospitalizations and ICU admissions in Ontario from February 9 – March 11, 2021. The red line is the daily number of COVID-19 hospitalizations, the dotted green line is a five-day moving average of hospitalizations, the purple line is the daily number of patients with COVID-19 in ICUs, and the dotted orange line is a five-day moving average of is a five-day moving average of patients with COVID-19 in ICUs. (Graphic: kawarthaNOW.com)
COVID-19 deaths in Ontario from February 9 - March 11, 2021. The red line is the cumulative number of daily deaths, and the dotted green line is a five-day moving average of daily deaths. (Graphic: kawarthaNOW.com)
COVID-19 deaths in Ontario from February 9 – March 11, 2021. The red line is the cumulative number of daily deaths, and the dotted green line is a five-day moving average of daily deaths. (Graphic: kawarthaNOW.com)
COVID-19 vaccine doses administered in Ontario from February 9 - March 11, 2021. The red line is the cumulative number of daily doses administered, and the dotted green line is a five-day moving average of daily doses. (Graphic: kawarthaNOW.com)
COVID-19 vaccine doses administered in Ontario from February 9 – March 11, 2021. The red line is the cumulative number of daily doses administered, and the dotted green line is a five-day moving average of daily doses. (Graphic: kawarthaNOW.com)

 

For more information about COVID-19 in Ontario, visit covid-19.ontario.ca.

The Pin restaurant in downtown Peterborough stays positive amidst shifting COVID-19 restrictions

By Hannah Abrahamse -
The Pin restaurant in downtown Peterborough serves a variety of crafted entrées for lunch and dinner, in addition to starters, seasonal salads, desserts, and wines. Reservations are required for in-person dining to ensure the retaurant can adhere to COVID-19 restrictions. Takeout for pickup is also available. (Photo courtesy of The Pin)

Since the onset of the coronavirus pandemic, there has been a rollercoaster ride of changes in restrictions for restaurants.

This story is one of an ongoing series by kawarthaNOW in support of locally owned businesses.

With the Peterborough region recently moving into the ‘Red-Control’ level of the province’s COVID-19 response framework, and the local health unit requiring restaurants to ensure diners at the same table are from the same household, the rollercoaster continues for local restaurants.

Nadene Crough, owner of The Pin restaurant in downtown Peterborough, says this back-and-forth in lockdowns, restrictions, and rules has been one of the most challenging aspects of running her small business during COVID-19.

“As an owner, that’s been a main stress,” Crough tells kawarthaNOW. “Will we be open next week? Should I put that order in? Am I going to have the clientele to sell that? Is the money going to be there?”

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Peterborough’s move to the red zone means restaurants are only permitted to seat 10 patrons indoors at one time, with a maximum of four people from the same household per table.

To accommodate the new requirements, Crough says The Pin is organizing set times for in-person dining reservations to keep numbers within limits. Fortunately, with the warmer weather, The Pin also has patio space on its front porch and side deck for additional tables.

To make a reservation for in-person dining, call the restaurant at 705-745-6544. Customers preferring to pick up takeout should also call that number to place their orders, rather than on social media.

“We ask for customers to call because I am working,” says Crough. “I don’t want to miss someone ordering over Facebook or Instagram because I’m busy and didn’t see it.”

The Pin is set inside a beautiful Victorian home, and prides itself on offering a warm and home-style atmosphere. Under provincial restrictions during the pandemic, tables are spaced more than two metres apart and only members of the same household (or caregivers or single people living along joining one other household) can sit at the same table. (Photo courtesy of The Pin)
The Pin is set inside a beautiful Victorian home, and prides itself on offering a warm and home-style atmosphere. Under provincial restrictions during the pandemic, tables are spaced more than two metres apart and only members of the same household (or caregivers or single people living along joining one other household) can sit at the same table. (Photo courtesy of The Pin)

Customers can order from the restaurant’s full menu, which is available online at www.thepin.ca. You can also order the soup of the day or weekly features posted on the restaurant’s Facebook and Instagram pages.

The Pin’s efforts to quickly adapt to the ever-shifting COVID protocols are motivated by the goal of keeping the business going so, when the pandemic is over, they can once again offer the full intimate dining experience unique to their establishment.

The Pin is set inside a beautiful Victorian home, and the warm home-style dining atmosphere is a large part of what makes the restaurant so special.

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While takeout has helped The Pin make it through lockdowns, Crough points out in-person dining is vital to the restaurant since “that’s part of the enjoyment of going out to eat — going into an establishment and being waited on and being taken care of.”

The end to the province’s stay-at-home order a few weeks ago was therefore exciting news for Crough. While The Pin was closed for indoor dining, Crough says people were fantastic about still ordering food, but business was much slower than during the first lockdown.

As for the recent requirement by Peterborough Public Health that servers confirm customers at the same table are only dining with household members, Crough says the majority of her guests understand servers are just doing their job.

Pictured here in summer 2018, The Pin is Located at the corner of King and Rubidge streets in downtown Peterborough inside a beautiful Victorian home. The interior's warm home-style dining atmosphere is a large part of what makes the restaurant so special, and the restaurant also has outside dining available on its porch and side deck during warmer weather. (Photo: Google Maps)
Pictured here in summer 2018, The Pin is Located at the corner of King and Rubidge streets in downtown Peterborough inside a beautiful Victorian home. The interior’s warm home-style dining atmosphere is a large part of what makes the restaurant so special, and the restaurant also has outside dining available on its porch and side deck during warmer weather. (Photo: Google Maps)

“That responsibility is a lot to put on your servers,” she says. “I know the city is trying to reiterate the onus is on the populous, and we are just doing our duty and covering our bases.”

But Crough adds The Pin had already been confirming their customers were from the same household, well before the mandate issued by Peterborough Public Health.

“We decided that we’d start right off the get-go with this, because it was the province’s recommendation,” she notes. “I thought we might as well get used to it.”

A chicken bruschetta club crepe was the recent feature of the day at The Pin restaurant in downtown Peterborough. The Pin's crepes are available for lunch or dinner, and can be ordered for takeout or dine-in. (Photo courtesy of The Pin)
A chicken bruschetta club crepe was the recent feature of the day at The Pin restaurant in downtown Peterborough. The Pin’s crepes are available for lunch or dinner, and can be ordered for takeout or dine-in. (Photo courtesy of The Pin)

Crough points out diners at the same table don’t necessarily have to live in the same home.

“We do find that the province and the city need to reiterate that caregivers are allowed to join the people to whom they give care and those living alone can join another household,” she explains.

As well as collecting contact information from patrons and verbal attestations that diners seated together are from the same household, The Pin has implemented various other health and safety measures to ensure customers have a safe dining experience.

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“We’ve changed our tablecloths to make it easier and quicker for servers to clean and sanitize tables,” Crough says. “We make sure we try to schedule any reservations with the time to make sure the tables are cleaned, wiped, and sanitized.”

“Before COVID, we used to set our tables with the cutlery already out. The servers now roll the cutlery while in gloves in the morning so that it’s protected.”

Crough says small changes like these, in addition to sanitizing high-touch points often, are steps they are glad to take to instill customer confidence in the restaurant’s safety.

As well as physically distancing tables, The Pin has taken additional steps to ensure a safe dining experience. For instance, cutlery is sanitized and kept rolled rather than being laid out in advance on the tables. (Photo courtesy of The Pin)
As well as physically distancing tables, The Pin has taken additional steps to ensure a safe dining experience. For instance, cutlery is sanitized and kept rolled rather than being laid out in advance on the tables. (Photo courtesy of The Pin)

Nevertheless, it has been difficult for restaurant owners as they are forced to continually adapt to challenges they would not have foreseen prior to the pandemic. Crough reminds the community that The Pin and other locally owned restaurants need ongoing support.

“Even though people may be seeing a lot of these small independent restaurants posting ‘We’re sold out, thanks for a great evening’, they need to remember that we’re still doing only 25 to 30 per cent of what we normally do,” she points out.

That said, Crough is thankful for the understanding, support, and patience the Peterborough community has shown her business as The Pin manages through the pandemic.

“Many restaurants are working with small teams because you can’t staff like normal,” she says. “The Peterborough community has been great, so it would be great if they would continue with their support and understanding.”

The Pin is open for lunch on Tuesday and Wednesday and lunch and dinner Thursday through Saturday. Both in-person dining or takeout for pickup is available. The Pin will be offering a St. Patrick's Day special, which will be announced on the restaurant's Facebook and Instagram pages. (Photo courtesy of The Pin)
The Pin is open for lunch on Tuesday and Wednesday and lunch and dinner Thursday through Saturday. Both in-person dining or takeout for pickup is available. The Pin will be offering a St. Patrick’s Day special, which will be announced on the restaurant’s Facebook and Instagram pages. (Photo courtesy of The Pin)

“If you follow us on social media, we always appreciate shares to friends and family,” Crough adds. “The more people seeing our specials and what we are doing, the more people we can get through the door.”

You can support The Pin on social media by following them on Facebook and Instagram.

To view The Pin’s regular lunch and dinner menu, you can visit their website at www.thepin.ca.

The Pin is located at 302 King Street in downtown Peterborough. Currently, they are open for in-person dining reservations and takeout for lunch on Tuesday and Wednesday from 11:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. and Thursday through Saturday for lunch and dinner from 11:30 a.m. until 7 p.m. The Pin is closed on Sundays and Mondays.

Ontario reports 1,092 new COVID-19 cases, including 7 in greater Kawarthas region

By kawarthaNOW -

Here’s an update on COVID-19 cases in Ontario as well as in the greater Kawarthas region.

Today, Ontario is reporting 1,092 new cases, including 35 more cases of the B.1.1.7 UK variant (for a total of 956), 2 more cases of the B.1.351 South Africa variant (for a total of 41), and 11 more cases of the P.1 Brazilian variant (for a total of 28).

With today’s new cases, the seven-day average of daily cases has increased by 14 to 1,252.

In the greater Kawarthas region, there are 7 new cases to report and an additional 18 cases resolved, with the number of active cases across the region decreasing by 11 to 116.

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Most of today’s new cases are in Toronto (293) and Peel (199).

There are double-digit increases in York (79), Ottawa (64), Thunder Bay (48), Simcoe Muskoka (43), Windsor-Essex (39), Hamilton (38), Waterloo (37), Durham (36), Lambton (33), Halton (33), Middlesex-London (26), Niagara (26), Eastern Ontario (18), Sudbury (11), and Chatham-Kent (10), with smaller increases in Leeds, Grenville & Lanark (8), Peterborough (8), Brant (7), Huron Perth (6), and Southwestern (6).

The remaining 12 health units are reporting 5 or fewer new cases, with 4 health units reporting no new cases at all.

Of today’s new cases, 56% are among people 39 and younger, with the highest number of cases (425) among people ages 20-39 followed by 322 cases among people ages 40-59.

With 1,110 more cases resolved since yesterday, the percentage of resolved cases is unchanged at 94.1%. The average positivity rate across Ontario has decreased by 0.1% from yesterday to 2.4%, meaning that 24 out of every 1,000 tests performed were positive for COVID-19 on March 10.

Ontario is reporting 10 new COVID-19 deaths today, including 1 death in a long-term care home — the first in four days. Ontario has averaged 12 new daily deaths over the past week (no change from yesterday).

Hospitalizations have increased by 2 from yesterday to 680, with the number of patients with COVID-19 in ICUs decreasing by 4 to 277 and the number of patients with COVID-19 on ventilators increasing by 6 to 184.

A total of 60,619 tests were completed yesterday, with the backlog of tests under investigation increasing by 3,515 to 42,033.

A total of 1,019,407 doses of vaccine have now been administered, an increase of 40,610 from yesterday, with 281,714 people fully vaccinated with both doses of vaccine, an increase of 2,510 from yesterday, representing 1.91% of Ontario’s population.

There are 124 new cases in Ontario schools, a decrease of 70 from yesterday, including 102 student cases and 22 staff cases. There are 27 new cases in licensed child care settings in Ontario, a decrease of 13 from yeasterday, with 20 cases among children and 7 cases among staff.

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In the greater Kawarthas region, there are 7 new cases to report, including 2 in Peterborough, 2 in Hastings Prince Edward, 2 in Northumberland, and 1 in Haliburton. There are no new cases in Kawartha Lakes.

There are 15 new cases of presumed variants of concern, including 12 in Peterborough and 3 in Northumberland.

An additional 18 cases have been resolved, including 7 in Peterborough, 6 in Kawartha Lakes, 3 in Hastings Prince Edward, and 2 in Northumberland. An outbreak at an unidentified workplace in Central Hastings has been declared resolved.

There are currently 116 active cases in the greater Kawarthas region, a decrease of 11 from yesterday, including 76 in Peterborough, 16 in Northumberland, 12 in Hastings Prince Edward (1 in Quinte West, 6 in Belleville, 2 in Tyendinaga & Deseronto, 2 in Prince Edward County, and 1 in Tyendinaga Mohawk Territory), 11 in Kawartha Lakes, and 1 in Haliburton.

Since the pandemic began in the greater Kawarthas region, there have been 747 confirmed positive cases in the Peterborough area (662 resolved with 9 deaths), 553 in the City of Kawartha Lakes (500 resolved with 55 deaths), 459 in Northumberland County (432 resolved with 11 deaths), 52 in Haliburton County (50 resolved with 1 death), and 433 in Hastings and Prince Edward counties (415 resolved with 6 deaths). The most recent death was reported in Haliburton on March 4.

The provincial data in this report is pulled from Ontario’s integrated Public Health Information System (iPHIS) at 12 p.m. the previous day. Data from local health units is more current and is usually reflected in the provincial data the following day. There may be discrepancies between the Ontario data reported today (which is from yesterday) and the local health unit data reported today (which is from today).

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Peterborough Public Health

Peterborough Public Health’s service area is the City and County of Peterborough and the Hiawatha and Curve Lake First Nations.

The health unit provides daily reports, including on weekends, excluding statutory holidays.

Confirmed positive: 747 (increase of 2)
Confirmed variants of concern cases: 1 (no change)
Presumed variants of concern cases: 101 (increase of 12)
Active cases: 76 (decrease of 5)
Close contacts: 222 (increase of 2)
Deaths: 9 (no change)
Resolved: 662 (increase of 7)
Hospitalizations (total to date): 26 (increase of 1)*
Total tests completed: Over 44,500 (no change)
Outbreaks: Severn Court Student Residence, Trent Champlain College residence, Regency retirement home in Lakefield (no change)
Vaccine doses administered: 10,320 (increase of 4,393, last updated March 11)

*As of March 11, Peterborough Regional Health Centre is reporting fewer than 5 patients hospitalized with COVID-19 and 17 patients transferred from other areas as a result of a provincial directive (no change).

 

Haliburton, Kawartha, Pine Ridge District Health Unit

The Haliburton, Kawartha, Pine Ridge District Health Unit’s service area is the City of Kawartha Lakes, Northumberland County, and Haliburton County.

The health unit provides reports from Monday to Saturday, excluding Sundays and statutory holidays.

Confirmed positive: 1,064, including 553 in Kawartha Lakes, 459 in Northumberland, and 52 in Haliburton (increase of 3, including 2 in Northumberland and 1 in Haliburton)*
Cases with N501Y mutation: 21, including 3 in Kawartha Lakes and 18 in Northumberland (increase of 3 in Northumberland)**
Active cases: 28, including 11 in Kawartha Lakes, 16 in Northumberland, and 1 in Haliburton (net decrease of 4)
Probable cases: 1 (increase of 1 in Northumberland)
High-risk contacts: 245, including 151 in Kawartha Lakes, 44 in Northumberland, and 4 in Haliburton (net increase of 19)***
Hospitalizations (total to date): 47, including 27 in Kawartha Lakes, 17 in Northumberland, and 3 in Haliburton (no change)****
Deaths (including among probable cases): 67, including 55 in Kawartha Lakes, 11 in Northumberland, and 1 in Haliburton (no change)
Resolved: 982, including 500 in Kawartha Lakes, 432 in Northumberland, 50 in Haliburton (increase of 8, including 6 in Kawartha Lakes and 2 in Northumberland)
Tests completed: 151,056 (decrease of 2,925)
Outbreaks: CrossFit Lindsay (no change)

*The health unit states that total counts and counts for individual counties may fluctuate from previously reported counts as cases are transferred to or from the health unit based on case investigation details and routine data cleaning.

**The N501Y mutation has been identified in variants of concern including the B.1.1.7 UK variant, the B.1.351 South Africa variant, and the P.1 Brazilian variant.

***This total includes an additional 3 high-risk contacts directly followed up through the Public Health Ontario contact tracing process that are missing the contacts’ county.

****As of March 11, Ross Memorial Hospital in Lindsay reports no patients hospitalized with COVID-19 (no change).

 

Hastings Prince Edward Public Health

Hastings Prince Edward Public Health’s service area is Hastings County (including Bancroft) and Prince Edward County.

The health unit provides daily reports, including on weekends, excluding statutory holidays.

Confirmed positive: 433 (increase of 2)
Confirmed variants of concern cases: 5 (no change)
Active cases: 12 (decrease of 2)
Deaths: 6 (no change)
Currently hospitalized: 0 (no change)
Currently hospitalized and in ICU: 0 (no change)
Currently hospitalized and in ICU on ventilator (total to date): 0 (no change)
Resolved: 415 (increase of 3)
Tests completed: 71,402 (increase of 2)
Vaccine doses administered: 10,679 (increase of 884)
Outbreaks: Unidentified workplace in Belleville (decrease of 1)*

*An outbreak at an unidentified workplace in Central Hastings was declared resolved on March 7.

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Province of Ontario

Confirmed positive: 313,520 (increase of 1,092)
Total COVID-19 variant cases: 956 of B.1.1.7 UK variant (increase of 35); 41 of B.1.351 South Africa variant (increase of 2); 28 of P.1 Brazilian variant (increase of 11)
7-day average of daily new cases: 1,252 (increase of 14)
Resolved: 295,128 (increase of 1,110), 94.1% of all cases
Positivity rate: 2.4% (decrease of 0.1%)
Hospitalizations: 680 (increase of 2)
Hospitalizations in ICU: 277 (decrease of 4)
Hospitalizations in ICU on ventilator: 184 (increase of 6)
Deaths: 7,109 (increase of 10)
7-day average of daily new deaths: 12 (no change)
Deaths of residents in long-term care homes: 3,877 (increase of 1)
Total tests completed: 11,584,449 (increase of 60,619)
Tests under investigation: 42,033 (increase of 3,515)
Vaccination doses administered: 1,019,407 (increase of 40,610)
People fully vaccinated (two doses): 281,714 (increase of 2,510), 1.91% of Ontario’s population (est. 70-90% required for herd immunity)

COVID-19 cases in Ontario from February 8 - March 10, 2021. The red line is the number of new cases reported daily, and the dotted green line is a five-day moving average of new cases. (Graphic: kawarthaNOW.com)
COVID-19 cases in Ontario from February 8 – March 10, 2021. The red line is the number of new cases reported daily, and the dotted green line is a five-day moving average of new cases. (Graphic: kawarthaNOW.com)
COVID-19 tests completed in Ontario from February 8 - March 10, 2021. The red line is the daily number of tests completed, and the dotted green line is a five-day moving average of tests completed. (Graphic: kawarthaNOW.com)
COVID-19 tests completed in Ontario from February 8 – March 10, 2021. The red line is the daily number of tests completed, and the dotted green line is a five-day moving average of tests completed. (Graphic: kawarthaNOW.com)
COVID-19 hospitalizations and ICU admissions in Ontario from February 8 - March 10, 2021. The red line is the daily number of COVID-19 hospitalizations, the dotted green line is a five-day moving average of hospitalizations, the purple line is the daily number of patients with COVID-19 in ICUs, and the dotted orange line is a five-day moving average of is a five-day moving average of patients with COVID-19 in ICUs. (Graphic: kawarthaNOW.com)
COVID-19 hospitalizations and ICU admissions in Ontario from February 8 – March 10, 2021. The red line is the daily number of COVID-19 hospitalizations, the dotted green line is a five-day moving average of hospitalizations, the purple line is the daily number of patients with COVID-19 in ICUs, and the dotted orange line is a five-day moving average of is a five-day moving average of patients with COVID-19 in ICUs. (Graphic: kawarthaNOW.com)
COVID-19 deaths in Ontario from February 8 - March 10, 2021. The red line is the cumulative number of daily deaths, and the dotted green line is a five-day moving average of daily deaths. (Graphic: kawarthaNOW.com)
COVID-19 deaths in Ontario from February 8 – March 10, 2021. The red line is the cumulative number of daily deaths, and the dotted green line is a five-day moving average of daily deaths. (Graphic: kawarthaNOW.com)
COVID-19 vaccine doses administered in Ontario from February 8 - March 10, 2021. The red line is the cumulative number of daily doses administered, and the dotted green line is a five-day moving average of daily doses. (Graphic: kawarthaNOW.com)
COVID-19 vaccine doses administered in Ontario from February 8 – March 10, 2021. The red line is the cumulative number of daily doses administered, and the dotted green line is a five-day moving average of daily doses. (Graphic: kawarthaNOW.com)

 

For more information about COVID-19 in Ontario, visit covid-19.ontario.ca.

ENDED – Severe thunderstorm warning Thursday afternoon and evening for most of the Kawarthas

By kawarthaNOW -

Environment Canada has expanded its first severe thunderstorm warning of 2021 to include Peterborough County, southern Kawartha Lakes, and Hastings County, as well as northern Kawartha Lakes and Haliburton County.

At 5:43 p.m. on Thursday (March 11), Environment Canada meteorologists are tracking a line of severe thunderstorms capable of producing very strong wind gusts of 90 km/h, pea- to dime-size hail, and heavy rain.

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Strong wind gusts can toss loose objects, damage weak buildings, break branches off trees and overturn large vehicles. Lightning kills and injures Canadians every year. Remember, when thunder roars, go indoors!

Severe thunderstorm warnings are issued when imminent or occurring thunderstorms are likely to produce or are producing one or more of the following: large hail, damaging winds, torrential rainfall.

 

This story has been updated to include the expansion of the severe thunderstorm warning to include southern Kawartha Lakes, Peterborough County, and Hastings County.

Peterborough to receive 4,500 AstraZeneca COVID-19 vaccine doses for patients aged 60 to 64

By Paul Rellinger -

As the one-year anniversary of the World Health Organization’s declaration of the COVID-19 pandemic is marked, the race is on to get more people vaccinated as soon as possible as local infection numbers in the Peterborough region continue to climb.

During a Peterborough Public Health media briefing held Thursday (March 11), medical officer of health Dr. Rosana Salvaterra reported there are currently 81 active positive cases of COVID-19 in the region — an increase of 18 over the past seven days.

But more disturbing, according to Dr. Salvaterra, is the 89 presumed cases of more transmissible COVID-19 variants of concern — with a second variant case now confirmed (presumed cases have a mutation that all the variants share; further genomic sequencing is then done to confirm the actual variant).

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To date in March, 95 new COVID-19 cases have been confirmed in the region, putting the month well on track to eclipse February’s total of 105 cases and be the third highest month for new cases reported during the entire course of the pandemic.

But tempering the news of rising local COVID-19 cases is some progress on the vaccination front.

On Wednesday (March 10), Peterborough Public Health announced the second dose of vaccine has been given to long-term care residents who reside at the area’s eight long-term care homes. An estimated 90 per cent of close to 950 long-term care residents are now fully vaccinated.

In addition, first doses continue to be given to long-term care home staff, retirement home residents and staff, Curve Lake residents, and health care workers deemed highest priority. This week is seeing Hiawatha residents and urban Indigenous people being vaccinated while next week the process to vaccinate seniors residing in congregate living settings receive their first dose.

But grabbing the most public attention on the vaccine front is the distribution to family health care providers of doses of the AstraZeneca vaccine for patients in the 60 to 64 age group.

Close to 30,000 doses are being distributed amongst six Ontario regions, Peterborough included. Dr. Salvaterra said Peterborough’s share of 4,500 doses are “expected” to arrive on Friday. According to the 2016 census, there are more than 16,500 60 to 64 year olds in the the city and county of Peterborough.

“How doctors prioritize which of their patients get vaccinated is up to them,” said Dr. Salvaterra.

“It’s truly a pilot project,” she added. “I wouldn’t be surprised if they’re trying different things. What we don’t want is people phoning their doctors asking for the vaccine. You’re going to have to be patient. If you get the call, it will be up to you if you would like to receive the AstraZeneca vaccine.”

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Speaking to a report out of Denmark that some AstraZeneca recipients have experienced blood clotting with one related death, leading to a suspension of its use in Denmark, Dr. Salvaterra said while it’s “important that these types of events be reported, sometimes it’s just a temporal association … people got vaccinated one day and something happens the next day and you can’t link the two.”

“Certainly it is not uncommon that if you do have a significant event that you pause either the use of the whole vaccine or that lot number until you can determine whether or not there was a link, so this (the suspension of AstraZeneca by Denmark) doesn’t surprise me. I look forward to learning more about what happened there.”

As for the pilot project distribution of vaccines to pharmacies in Windsor-Essex, Kingston, and Toronto for those who make an appointment, Dr. Salvaterra said depending on how well that is rolled out “we should hear what the provincial policy decision will be as to which vaccine (will be issued to pharmacies in other regions) and when.”

“I truly suspect the AstraZeneca vaccine will be offered here in our pharmacies and they’ll play a big role in our vaccine rollout just as they do with the flu immunization program.”

Dr. Salvaterra also provided an update on the local vaccine rollout plan in the spring.

“In April, we will begin immunizing people over the age of 75 and, by the end of that month, people over the age of 70. Also in April, those with specific health conditions and their caregivers will be able to get vaccinated. In May we will invite people over age 65 to book an appointment, and then those over 60 will become eligible by mid-May. By June, we’ll be able to vaccinate everyone who cannot work from home.”

More immediately, those 80 and over will be eligible for the vaccine starting next week in conjunction with the launch of the provincial appointment booking system, called COVaxON. Next week also marks the opening of mass vaccination clinics locally at the Evinrude Centre and the Norwood Arena.

“If you have a photo health card, you’ve already been registered in the COVax system; you do not need to pre-register,” stressed Dr. Salvaterra.

“We will advertise widely when each group will be able to book appointments. Once you become eligible, you remain eligible and can be immunized whenever it works best for you. You won’t lose your place in line if you don’t get immunized immediately.”

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Meanwhile, regarding COVID-19 rules enforcement, Peterborough Police Services Inspector John Lyons said no charges will be laid against The Junction nightclub in downtown Peterborough after photos of patrons partying without masks or any social distancing were published on the business’s Facebook page. That post drew a lot of angry comments on social media before it was taken down by The Junction.

“It was investigated and determined, through public health, that they were old photos from approximately a year ago that were not as recent as they may have appeared to be,” Lyons said. “It was not as fresh or current as social media led it to seem, so it was dispelled.”

Peterborough Public Health’s catchment area — which includes Peterborough city and county and Curve Lake and Hiawatha First Nations — remains at the ‘Red-Control’ level of Ontario’s COVID-19 response framework — a more restrictive status that has been in place since March 8.

For a complete list of restrictions now in place, visit ontario.ca/page/covid-19-response-framework-keeping-ontario-safe-and-open#red.

The region’s placement at the ‘Red-Control’ level — a step back from a short-lived placement at the ‘Yellow-Protect’ level — came following a major outbreak at the Severn Court Student Residence on Wilfred Drive, a privately owned student housing complex in the city’s southeast near Fleming College, resulting from a party or parties held February 20.

To date, 56 positive cases have resulted from what is the largest local COVID-19 outbreak to date, including one infected person who has recently been hospitalized.

Subsequent outbreaks — including one at Trent University’s Champlain College affecting eight people and another at The Regency of Lakefield retirement home — combined with the rising infection numbers, have lessened the region’s chances of being returned to a less restrictive level any time soon.

To date, there are 46 positive cases per 100,000 people locally — a number that is keeping the region at the ‘Red-Control’ level.

Also commenting during Thursday’s media briefing were Peterborough-Kawartha MP Maryam Monsef, Peterborough Mayor Diane Therrien, Peterborough County Warden J. Murray Jones, Hiawatha First Nations Chief Laurie Carr, and Peterborough board of health chair and Selwyn mayor Andy Mitchell.

COVID-19 vaccination clinic opening in Cobourg for residents 80 years and older

By Hannah Abrahamse -
Cobourg Community Centre is located at 750 D'Arcy Street in Cobourg. (Photo: Town of Cobourg)

Those born in 1941 or earlier with a primary care provider in Northumberland County will be contacted by telephone over the next few days to book a COVID-19 vaccination appointment.

Update on vaccination appointments

On March 18, the health unit announced clinic dates and times at Cobourg Community Centre will be added to the provincial booking system by Friday, March 26th, with clinic appointments beginning Monday, March 29th.

In a virtual media briefing on Wednesday (March 10), acting medical officer of health Dr. Ian Gemmill announced the Haliburton, Kawartha, Pine Ridge District Health Unit is moving on to vaccinating residents of the area who are 80 years of age and older.

A vaccine distribution clinic at Cobourg Community Centre will be the first in the health unit’s region to begin appointments on Tuesday (March 16) for residents of Northumberland County in the 80-plus age group.

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The clinic is not run by the health unit but is instead a collaborative effort that involves volunteers, family health teams, and hospitals. Public health is helping to facilitate the clinics.

“Offering appointments first to older residents with a primary health care provider is designed to help to reduce the number of people expected to call the provincial booking system once it goes live next week,” Dr. Gemmill explained in a media release issued by the health unit on Wednesday.

According to Dr. Gemmill, residents 80 years and older who do not currently have a local primary health care provider in Northumberland County can also book a vaccination appointment, but will have to do so through the provincial booking system. The system goes live on Monday (March 15) and will have an online option for booking in addition to a phone-in option.

Seniors in Northumberland with a vaccination appointment who require transportation to the clinic can phone Community Care Northumberland at 1-866-768-7778 to register and request a ride to their appointment.

“I think it’s going to be a remarkable community initiative, and you’re going to see people really pulling together,” Dr. Gemmill said at Wednesday’s media briefing.

In the meantime, Dr. Gemmill reminded residents born in 1941 or earlier with a Northumberland primary care provider to wait for their call.

“Nobody should be calling their family doctor to ask for a vaccine,” he explained. “It will not be the family doctor’s office calling. It will be a community group working with family doctors.”

According to Dr. Gemmill, if a resident misses their call to book an appointment, a volunteer will call back later. If they are not reached upon the second call, the volunteer will leave a message directing them to return their call and make an appointment.

Dr. Gemmill noted he expects a similar booking system will be in place for vaccine clinics opening soon for residents 80 years and over at the Lindsay Exhibition Centre and the Trent Hills Fire Station. The health unit plans to have two mass vaccination clinics per county set up by April, when they will begin vaccinating the rest of the population by age groups.

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“We are also looking for another centre in the City of Kawartha Lakes, and there are few prospective venues in Haliburton County as well,” Dr. Gemmill explained. “We are using a series of criteria to help to decide which locations to use. We want to have a space with adequate parking, adequate crowd control, and have it accessible enough so that people don’t have to travel too far.”

Vaccination of residents 80 years and older comes after completing full vaccinations of all long-term care residents in the health unit region. Long-term care staff and essential caregivers, in addition to some high-priority health care workers, have also already received the first dose of a COVID-19 vaccine.

Once residents 80 years and older have all received their first dose of the vaccine, the health unit will move on to those highlighted in the province’s other priority groups. These groups include adults in the community with high-risk chronic conditions and their caregivers, those unable to work from home, and older adults between the ages of 60 to 79 in five-year increments.

Dr. Gemmill also noted the health unit is still only receiving and distributing the two licensed mRNA vaccines (Pfizer and Moderna), not the more recently licensed AstraZeneca vaccine. He added that the health unit has been promised approximately 5,000 doses per week over the next four weeks.

“I’m very hopeful that — while this is the number of doses we’ve been allocated for the next four weeks — as more vaccine becomes available, we will have more access to that vaccine,” Dr. Gemmill said.

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As vaccine distribution in the area increases, Dr. Gemmill reminded the public not to let up on restrictive measures.

“We can’t become too relaxed,” he said. “It’s still going to be several more several weeks before we are in a position where we can start (to relax).”

Dr. Gemmill’s advice comes after the the Haliburton, Kawartha, Pine Ridge District Health Unit region — which encompasses the City of Kawarthas Lakes, Northumberland County, and Haliburton County — moved from the ‘Orange-Restrict’ level in the province’s COVID-19 response framework to the less-restrictive ‘Yellow-Protect’ level on Monday.

“I’m hopeful that people will understand that yellow does not mean party time,” Dr. Gemmill pointed out. “Yellow means we are allowed to do our business in a less restrictive way, still respecting all of the public health measures that need to be in place.”

As of Wednesday, there were 32 active cases of COVID-19 in the health unit’s region, including 16 in Kawartha Lakes and 16 in Northumberland.

 

The story has been updated with new information supplied by the health unit about clinic dates and times at Cobourg Community Centre.

Get your bikes ready for spring in Peterborough

By GreenUP -
Kye is getting his bike ready for spring, making sure his chain is well oiled and free of damage. Once it's ready, he'll plan his cycling route with his family. Together, they'll make sure it is fun and free of hazards. (Photo: Jackie Donaldson)
Each week, GreenUP provides a story related to the environment. This week’s story is by Jaime Akiyama, transportation and urban design program coordinator at GreenUP.

This year our family did not do any winter cycling. I am a big advocate of winter cycling — it’s an efficient, fun, and sustainable way to travel.

But since we were working and schooling from home, we didn’t bother to get our winter biking gear ready. As a result, when the kids went back to in-person schooling and we wanted to use our bikes to get there, we weren’t prepared.

Not being prepared can be a big barrier to cycling to school. At Active School Travel Peterborough, families often tell us that they don’t bike because they don’t feel ready — they don’t have the right equipment or they haven’t put the time into route planning.

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After missing out on winter cycling, I am now looking ahead, determined not to miss any opportunities for my family to use our bikes this spring. I am smashing barriers by being prepared. When the day is right to ride to school, our morning will be smooth and enjoyable.

How can you prepare for those first few spring bike-to-school days?

 

1. Maintenance

Maintenance is often the first step. This important task can be a fun family activity. When we deliver our GreenUP and B!KE cycling programs to kids, there are always a few who are keen to become bicycle mechanics.

Getting a child involved in bike maintenance empowers them to look after their bike independently, while increasing their excitement for riding.

If your bike has been sitting idle since the fall, chances are it needs work. Start by running through an “ABC” quick check. “A” is for air; make sure your tires are inflated appropriately. “B” is for brakes; test both the front and back brakes. “C” is for chain; it should be lubricated and damage free. Visit peterboroughmoves.com for easy, family-focused instructions.

When you perform an 'ABC' quick check on your bike, you may discover you need to adjust the brakes among other things. If you are a DIYer, you can book an appointment at B!KE to use their workshop alongside their mechanic educators. Check their website for more information; membership is required. (Photo: B!KE Staff)
When you perform an ‘ABC’ quick check on your bike, you may discover you need to adjust the brakes among other things. If you are a DIYer, you can book an appointment at B!KE to use their workshop alongside their mechanic educators. Check their website for more information; membership is required. (Photo: B!KE Staff)

Your bike might need more maintenance than you are prepared to do at home. If you require support and the tools to do this, contact B!KE: The Peterborough Community Cycling Hub.

B!KE is a local charity with the goal of making bike maintenance accessible to all. Located downtown, B!KE has mechanic educators and a well-outfitted shop where they help members with their bicycle repair work.

While we are in the COVID-19 red zone, you have two options for using B!KE’s services: you can book an appointment to work on your bike in their workspace, or you can rent equipment from their tool library to work at home. Both of these options require membership.

Visit communitybikeshop.org for more information on B!KE’s COVID-19 procedures and membership, and to book appointments.

If dropping your bike off for a tune-up is more your style, check out one of Peterborough’s great bike shops.

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All these services and shops will be in high demand due to a pandemic bike boom. Our local bike shop friends have warned us that bikes and bike parts are going to be difficult to get this year.

“We have seen the highest demand for bikes and repairs this winter, higher than we have ever seen before,” says Ben Logan, owner at Fontaine Source for Sports (384 Queen St., Peterborough, 705-742-0511).

To meet our needs, bike shops are also bringing in used bikes. Scott Murison, co-owner at Wild Rock Outfitters, wants to “help get people on bikes even if they’re not our bikes.”

Wild Rock (169 Charlotte St., Peterborough, 705-745-9133) is planning COVID-19-safe bike swaps to support the community. Watch their social media for updates.

 

2. Safety

Now that they have checked their bikes (air, brakes and chain), identified their route, and refreshed themselves on the rules of the road, Aaron and Kye are ready for their spring bike to school. Aaron and Kye ready for their spring bike to school. By law, every cyclist under the age 18 in Ontario must wear an approved helmet. Helmets should be in good condition and fit properly. (Photo: Jackie Donaldson)
Now that they have checked their bikes (air, brakes and chain), identified their route, and refreshed themselves on the rules of the road, Aaron and Kye are ready for their spring bike to school.
Aaron and Kye ready for their spring bike to school. By law, every cyclist under the age 18 in Ontario must wear an approved helmet. Helmets should be in good condition and fit properly. (Photo: Jackie Donaldson)

Beyond having a working bike, being prepared means having the equipment necessary to make your ride safe and comfortable.

In Ontario, anyone who bikes a half hour before dusk or a half hour after dawn is legally required to have a bell, front white light, and a rear red light or reflectors. You should also have white reflective tape on the front forks and red reflective tape on the rear forks.

Of course, riding with a bike helmet is important. Helmets should be in good condition and fit properly. Active School Travel Peterborough teaches kids the 2V1 Helmet Check method. You can learn about it at peterboroughmoves.com.

Most helmets are single impact — that means their integrity can be compromised after one blow. Helmets also expire after five years, so that’s when you should get a new one.

 

3. Security

A lock is a must for those planning to leave their bike unattended. Make sure your lock is of good quality.

Let kids practice locking up their bikes. This is something adults often struggle with. Remember the lock should go through both the frame and a solid rack; perhaps the wheel, too.

Consider registering your bicycle on 529 Garage, a free community-powered bike recovery service promoted by the City of Peterborough. You can find it at project529.com/cityofpeterborough.

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4. Route planning

Once your equipment is ready to go, it’s time to plan your route.

If you are considering a route to school, plan one that looks fun and avoids hazards or unsafe places. A route that goes by known neighbours can provide comfort to both you and your children.

When our family is deciding on a school route, we do a practice run on the weekend when we’re not in a rush. While practicing, we time our journey, so we know how to adjust our morning routine.

 

5. Knowledge and skills

Aaron makes sure his tires are properly inflated; the correct pressure range for a tire is marked on the sidewall. You can get a bike pump with a built-in pressure gauge at local bike shops. (Photo: Jackie Donaldson)
Aaron makes sure his tires are properly inflated; the correct pressure range for a tire is marked on the sidewall. You can get a bike pump with a built-in pressure gauge at local bike shops. (Photo: Jackie Donaldson)

With your equipment ready and your route planned, it’s time to refresh your family’s knowledge of the rules of the road.

The Ontario Ministry of Transportation has developed two cycling guides (Cycling Skills: Ontario’s Guide to Safe Cycling and the Young Cyclist’s Guide) with information to help you understand the rules, where to position yourself on the road, and hand signals. These manuals and other information are available at www.mto.gov.on.ca/english/safety/

GreenUP and B!KE have an online cycling safety and skills program called Pedal Power From Home. This online course is available at peterboroughmoves.com. It has activities that you can complete with your family.

Finished with your preparation tasks? Now bring on the spring!

Two lost hikers rescued in Queen Elizabeth II Wildlands Provincial Park near Minden

By kawarthaNOW -
The OPP Aviation and Emergency Response Team locate two hikers lost in Queen Elizabeth II Wildlands Provincial Park on March 5, 2021. (OPP video screenshot)

After rescuing two lost hikers in Queen Elizabeth II Wildlands Provincial Park last Friday (March 5), the Ontario Provincial Police are reminding people to take safety precautions when planning a hike.

The OPP released video of the rescue, which involved the OPP Aviation and Emergency Response Team, on social media on Tuesday.

Located between Minden and Gravenhurst, Queen Elizabeth II Wildlands is 33,505-hectare non-operating park with no maintained public facilities or services.

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Last May, two hikers were also rescued by the OPP after getting lost in the same park.

On its website, Ontario Parks warns visitors that navigating in the park is difficult and cell service is unreliable.

“Be prepared to use appropriate route finding and safety practices as interior travel beyond access points requires complex navigating in a remote semi-wilderness environment,” reads the website. “Cellular service cannot be relied upon as a means of communication or navigation within these wildlands.”

VIDEO: Hikers Rescued in Queen Elizabeth II Wildlands Provincial Park

Hikers Rescued in Queen Elizabeth II Wildlands Provincial Park | @OPPCentralRegionPosted by Ontario Provincial Police – Central Region on Tuesday, March 9, 2021

The OPP advise people planning to go on a hike to visit adventuresmart.ca for information about staying safe.

Mother walking with toddler and infant struck by dump truck north of Colborne

By kawarthaNOW -

A 30-year-old woman is being treated for serious injuries in a Toronto hospital after she was struck by a dump truck north of Colborne on Wednesday afternoon (March 10) while walking with her two young children — a four year old and a six month old.

At around 4 p.m. on Wednesday, the woman and her two children were crossing the intersection of Orchard Road and Percy Street south of Highway 401 at the traffic lights. As they walked southbound across Orchard Road, a northbound dump truck turning west onto Orchard Road struck the woman.

The woman was transported by paramedics to a nearby hospital and subsequently airlifted to a trauma centre in Toronto to receive treatment for serious injuries.

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The woman’s two children were also taken to hospital as a precaution, where the infant received treatment for minimal injuries.

The intersection of Orchard Road and Percy Street was closed for several hours on Wednesday while OPP members trained in collision reconstruction measured and documented the scene.

The Northumberland OPP are continuing to investigate the circumstances surrounding this collision.

Ontario reports 1,316 new COVID-19 cases, Peterborough to receive AstraZeneca vaccine for 60-64 year olds

By kawarthaNOW -
Ontario Premier Doug Ford touring a mass vaccination site at the Centennial College Progress Campus in Scarborough on March 8, 2021. (Photo: Premier's Office)

Here’s an update on COVID-19 cases in Ontario as well as in the greater Kawarthas region.

With Ontario reporting 1,316 new cases today, the provincial government announced plans to distribute 194,500 doses of the AstraZeneca vaccine to Ontarians aged 60-64. The vast majority of the doses will be supplied to 325 pharmacies in Toronto, Windsor-Essex, and Kingston, Frontenac, Lennox & Addington for appointment-based vaccinations.

However, 29,500 doses will also be distributed to primary care providers (including family doctors) in Hamilton, Toronto, Guelph, Peterborough, Simcoe-Muskoka, and Peel. Beginning March 13, primary care providers in these six public health regions will be contacting eligible patients aged 60-64 directly to book an appointment.

With today’s new cases, the seven-day average of daily cases has increased by 51 to 1,238. There are 13 new cases of the B.1.1.7 UK variant, for a total of 921, with no new cases of other variants of concern.

In the greater Kawarthas region, there are 11 new cases to report and an additional 15 cases resolved, with the number of active cases across the region decreasing by 5 to 127.

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Most of today’s new cases are in Toronto (428), Peel (244), and York (149).

There are double-digit increases in Thunder Bay (67), Ottawa (59), Hamilton (59), Durham (48), Halton (48), Simcoe Muskoka (31), Waterloo (25), Windsor-Essex (23), Niagara (19), Peterborough (16), Brant (14), Sudbury (13), Eastern Ontario (11), and Leeds, Grenville & Lanark (11), with smaller increases in Chatham-Kent (9), Northwestern (8), Wellington-Dufferin-Guelph (8), Southwestern (7), and Haldimand-Norfolk (6).

The remaining 12 health units are reporting 5 or fewer new cases, with 3 health units reporting no new cases at all.

Of today’s new cases, 57% are among people 39 and younger, with the highest number of cases (478) among people ages 20-39 followed by 363 cases among people ages 40-59.

With 1,212 more cases resolved since yesterday, the percentage of resolved cases has decreased by 0.1% at 94.1%. The average positivity rate across Ontario has decreased by 1.2% from yesterday to 2.5%, meaning that 25 out of every 1,000 tests performed were positive for COVID-19 on March 9.

Ontario is reporting 16 new COVID-19 deaths today. For the third day in a row, there are no new deaths in Ontario’s long-term care homes. Ontario has averaged 12 new daily deaths over the past week (no change from yesterday).

Hospitalizations have decreased by 11 from yesterday to 678, with the number of patients with COVID-19 in ICUs decreasing by 9 to 281 and the number of patients with COVID-19 on ventilators decreasing by 6 to 178.

A total of 54,149 tests were completed yesterday, with the backlog of tests under investigation increasing by 8,673 to 38,518.

A total of 978,797 doses of vaccine have now been administered, an increase of 35,264 from yesterday, with 279,204 people fully vaccinated with both doses of vaccine, an increase of 3,011 from yesterday, representing 1.9% of Ontario’s population.

There are 194 new cases in Ontario schools, a decrease of 69 from yesterday, including 159 student cases, 31 staff cases, and 4 cases among unidentified people. There are 43 new cases in licensed child care settings in Ontario, a decrease of 16 from yesterday, with 28 cases among children and 15 cases among staff.

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In the greater Kawarthas region, there are 11 new cases to report, including 8 in Peterborough, 2 in Kawartha Lakes, and 1 in Hastings Prince Edward. There are no new cases in Northumberland or Haliburton.

There are 6 new cases of presumed variants of concern, including 2 in Peterborough, 2 in Northumberland, 1 in Kawartha Lakes, and 1 in Hastings Prince Edward.

An additional 15 cases have been resolved, including 13 in Peterborough, 1 in Hastings Prince Edward, and 1 in Northumberland.

There are currently 127 active cases in the greater Kawarthas region, a decrease of 5 from yesterday, including 81 in Peterborough, 16 in Northumberland, 16 in Kawartha Lakes, and 14 in Hastings Prince Edward (9 in Belleville, 3 in Tyendinaga & Deseronto, and 2 in Prince Edward County). There are no active cases in Haliburton.

Since the pandemic began in the greater Kawarthas region, there have been 745 confirmed positive cases in the Peterborough area (655 resolved with 9 deaths), 552 in the City of Kawartha Lakes (494 resolved with 55 deaths), 457 in Northumberland County (430 resolved with 11 deaths), 51 in Haliburton County (50 resolved with 1 death), and 431 in Hastings and Prince Edward counties (412 resolved with 6 deaths). The most recent death was reported in Haliburton on March 4.

The provincial data in this report is pulled from Ontario’s integrated Public Health Information System (iPHIS) at 12 p.m. the previous day. Data from local health units is more current and is usually reflected in the provincial data the following day. There may be discrepancies between the Ontario data reported today (which is from yesterday) and the local health unit data reported today (which is from today).

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Peterborough Public Health

Peterborough Public Health’s service area is the City and County of Peterborough and the Hiawatha and Curve Lake First Nations.

The health unit provides daily reports, including on weekends, excluding statutory holidays.

Confirmed positive: 745 (increase of 8)
Confirmed variants of concern cases: 1 (no change)
Presumed variants of concern cases: 89 (increase of 2)
Active cases: 81 (decrease of 5)
Close contacts: 220 (decrease of 6)
Deaths: 9 (no change)
Resolved: 655 (increase of 13)
Hospitalizations (total to date): 26 (increase of 1)*
Total tests completed: Over 44,500 (increase of 100)
Outbreaks: Severn Court Student Residence, Trent Champlain College residence, Regency retirement home in Lakefield (no change)
Vaccine doses administered: 5,927 (no change, last updated March 4)

*As of March 10, Peterborough Regional Health Centre is reporting no patients hospitalized with COVID-19 and 17 patients transferred from other areas as a result of a provincial directive (no change).

 

Haliburton, Kawartha, Pine Ridge District Health Unit

The Haliburton, Kawartha, Pine Ridge District Health Unit’s service area is the City of Kawartha Lakes, Northumberland County, and Haliburton County.

The health unit provides reports from Monday to Saturday, excluding Sundays and statutory holidays.

Confirmed positive: 1,060, including 552 in Kawartha Lakes, 457 in Northumberland, and 51 in Haliburton (increase of 2 in Kawartha Lakes)*
Cases with N501Y mutation: 18, including 3 in Kawartha Lakes and 15 in Northumberland (increase of 3, including 1 in Kawartha Lakes and 2 in Northumberland)**
Active cases: 32, including 16 in Kawartha Lakes and 16 in Northumberland (no net change)
Probable cases: 0 (no change)
High-risk contacts: 226, including 132 in Kawartha Lakes, 44 in Northumberland, and 4 in Haliburton (net increase of 50)***
Hospitalizations (total to date): 47, including 27 in Kawartha Lakes, 17 in Northumberland, and 3 in Haliburton (no change)****
Deaths (including among probable cases): 67, including 55 in Kawartha Lakes, 11 in Northumberland, and 1 in Haliburton (no change)
Resolved: 974, including 494 in Kawartha Lakes, 430 in Northumberland, 50 in Haliburton (increase of 1 in Northumberland)
Tests completed: 148,131 (decrease of 1,068)
Outbreaks: CrossFit Lindsay (no change)

*The health unit states that total counts and counts for individual counties may fluctuate from previously reported counts as cases are transferred to or from the health unit based on case investigation details and routine data cleaning.

**The N501Y mutation has been identified in variants of concern including the B.1.1.7 UK variant, the B.1.351 South Africa variant, and the P.1 Brazilian variant.

***This total includes an additional 46 high-risk contacts directly followed up through the Public Health Ontario contact tracing process that are missing the contacts’ county.

****As of March 10, Ross Memorial Hospital in Lindsay reports no patients hospitalized with COVID-19 (no change).

 

Hastings Prince Edward Public Health

Hastings Prince Edward Public Health’s service area is Hastings County (including Bancroft) and Prince Edward County.

The health unit provides daily reports, including on weekends, excluding statutory holidays.

Confirmed positive: 431 (increase of 1)
Confirmed variants of concern cases: 5 (increase of 1)
Active cases: 14 (no change)
Deaths: 6 (no change)
Currently hospitalized: 0 (no change)
Currently hospitalized and in ICU: 0 (no change)
Currently hospitalized and in ICU on ventilator (total to date): 0 (no change)
Resolved: 412 (increase of 1)
Tests completed: 71,400 (increase of 5)
Vaccine doses administered: 9,795 (increase of 1,273)
Outbreaks: Unidentified workplace in Central Hastings, unidentified workplace in Belleville (no change)

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Province of Ontario

Confirmed positive: 312,428 (increase of 1,316)
Total COVID-19 variant cases: 921 of B.1.1.7 UK variant (increase of 13); 39 of B.1.351 South Africa variant (no change); 17 of P.1 Brazilian variant (no change)
7-day average of daily new cases: 1,238 (increase of 51)
Resolved: 294,018 (increase of 1,212), 94.1% of all cases
Positivity rate: 2.5% (decrease of 1.2%)
Hospitalizations: 678 (decrease of 11)
Hospitalizations in ICU: 281 (decrease of 9)
Hospitalizations in ICU on ventilator: 178 (decrease of 6)
Deaths: 7,099 (increase of 16)
7-day average of daily new deaths: 12 (no change)
Deaths of residents in long-term care homes: 3,876 (no change)
Total tests completed: 11,523,830 (increase of 54,149)
Tests under investigation: 38,518 (increase of 8,673)
Vaccination doses administered: 978,797 (increase of 35,264)
People fully vaccinated (two doses): 279,204 (increase of 3,011), 1.9% of Ontario’s population (est. 70-90% required for herd immunity)

COVID-19 cases in Ontario from February 7 - March 9, 2021. The red line is the number of new cases reported daily, and the dotted green line is a five-day moving average of new cases. (Graphic: kawarthaNOW.com)
COVID-19 cases in Ontario from February 7 – March 9, 2021. The red line is the number of new cases reported daily, and the dotted green line is a five-day moving average of new cases. (Graphic: kawarthaNOW.com)
COVID-19 tests completed in Ontario from February 7 - March 9, 2021. The red line is the daily number of tests completed, and the dotted green line is a five-day moving average of tests completed. (Graphic: kawarthaNOW.com)
COVID-19 tests completed in Ontario from February 7 – March 9, 2021. The red line is the daily number of tests completed, and the dotted green line is a five-day moving average of tests completed. (Graphic: kawarthaNOW.com)
COVID-19 hospitalizations and ICU admissions in Ontario from February 7 - March 9, 2021. The red line is the daily number of COVID-19 hospitalizations, the dotted green line is a five-day moving average of hospitalizations, the purple line is the daily number of patients with COVID-19 in ICUs, and the dotted orange line is a five-day moving average of is a five-day moving average of patients with COVID-19 in ICUs. (Graphic: kawarthaNOW.com)
COVID-19 hospitalizations and ICU admissions in Ontario from February 7 – March 9, 2021. The red line is the daily number of COVID-19 hospitalizations, the dotted green line is a five-day moving average of hospitalizations, the purple line is the daily number of patients with COVID-19 in ICUs, and the dotted orange line is a five-day moving average of is a five-day moving average of patients with COVID-19 in ICUs. (Graphic: kawarthaNOW.com)
COVID-19 deaths in Ontario from February 7 - March 9, 2021. The red line is the cumulative number of daily deaths, and the dotted green line is a five-day moving average of daily deaths. (Graphic: kawarthaNOW.com)
COVID-19 deaths in Ontario from February 7 – March 9, 2021. The red line is the cumulative number of daily deaths, and the dotted green line is a five-day moving average of daily deaths. (Graphic: kawarthaNOW.com)
COVID-19 vaccine doses administered in Ontario from February 7 - March 9, 2021. The red line is the cumulative number of daily doses administered, and the dotted green line is a five-day moving average of daily doses. (Graphic: kawarthaNOW.co
COVID-19 vaccine doses administered in Ontario from February 7 – March 9, 2021. The red line is the cumulative number of daily doses administered, and the dotted green line is a five-day moving average of daily doses. (Graphic: kawarthaNOW.co

 

For more information about COVID-19 in Ontario, visit covid-19.ontario.ca.

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