Four vials of the Moderna COVID-19 vaccine during an immunization clinic at Fairhaven long-term care home in Peterborough on January 26, 2021. Almost all of the first shipment of 500 doses of the vaccine have been administered, with 409 residents of four long-term care homes immunized along with 43 home staff. (Photo courtesy of Peterborough Public Health)
There’s been another COVID-19 death in Peterborough, with 21 new positive cases of the disease reported in the Peterborough area so far this week.
During a Peterborough Public Health media briefing held Friday (January 29), medical officer of health Dr. Rosana Salvaterra would only confirm the person who died in hospital Friday — the eight death in the Peterborough area since the pandemic began — is a resident of a congregate setting. She provided no details as to age or gender.
While the advent of 21 new cases this week isn’t ideal, the weekly positive case count has declined steadily since the week of December 28th when a record weekly count of 71 new cases were reported. That said, the January total of 188 new cases to date represents a new monthly high locally, well eclipsing the previous high monthly number of 137 recorded in December.
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On the vaccination front, Dr. Salvaterra noted residents of four of the region’s long-term care homes — Fairhaven and Riverview Manor in Peterborough, Extendicare Lakefield, and Pleasant Meadow Manor in Norwood — have received their first dose of the Moderna vaccine. In total, 409 residents have been immunized, along with 43 home staff.
“We had two adverse events, one which necessitated a hospital visit, but both cases have recovered,” said Dr. Salvaterra, noting Peterborough Public Health has been told to expect its next shipment of the Moderna vaccine by February 5th at the earliest.
“It is a delay … we were hoping to get it (the shipment) by February 1st,” Dr. Salvaterra said. “Moderna advised yesterday (Thursday) that its next shipment won’t be arriving in Toronto until February 4th.”
“We were hoping to get all of our long-term care residents immunized by February 5th,” she said. “I expect that deadline will have to be revised given what we have now learned about the Moderna shipment.”
Dr. Salvaterra added the question she is asked most frequently concerns the order in which local vaccinations will roll out in the months ahead.
“It’s important that residents understand that the province has decided the order in which people will receive their vaccine, with the end goal of enough vaccine for anyone who wants it by September,” she said.
The three phases of the Ontario government’s COVID-19 vaccine distribution plan. (Graphic: Ontario Ministry of Health)
“Local public health has been tasked with identifying any local priorities within that provincial sequencing framework,” Dr. Salvaterra explained. ” We’ve created a local committee to oversee this as well as the create a bigger plan for all three phases of the (vaccine) rollout.”
The committee, she added, has had three meetings to date.
“Phase two occurs when immunization clinics are held. This is our mass immunization phase. It’s dependent on an adequate vaccine supply, so it’s hard to say exactly when these clinics will start. We have them starting in April but, right now, I can say they’ll being in the spring. If we get more vaccine in March, they could start earlier.”
Moving forward, updates on local vaccination progress will be posted each Friday on the health unit’s data tool at localcovidtracker.ca.
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Overall local COVID-19 numbers show that, as of Friday morning, there were 50 active COVID-19 cases in Peterborough city and county, Curve Lake, and Hiawatha region with 76 close contacts of positive cases being monitored.
Since the pandemic began, Peterborough Public Health has reported a total of 535 cases, of which 478 have been resolved. To date, 41,400 residents have been tested for a 28 per cent testing rate.
As for outbreaks, the most recent one was declared Tuesday at Peterborough Retirement Resident. It involves three staff members, Dr. Salvaterra said, with no cases detected amongst the residents.
Previously reported outbreaks at the Peterborough Regional Health Centre (in units A2 and B2 designated for stroke rehabilitation and affecting 12 people), at Regency Retirement in Lakefield, and at Centennial Place Long-Term Care in Millbrook are ongoing but reported as stable and heading toward being resolved.
Also present and commenting during Tuesday’s briefing were Peterborough-Kawartha MP Maryam Monsef, Peterborough-Kawartha MPP Dave Smith, Northumberland-Peterborough South MPP David Piccini, Peterborough Mayor Diane Therrien, Hiawatha First Nations Chief Laurie Carr, and Peterborough Board of Health chair and Selwyn Mayor Andy Mitchell.
Environment Canada has issued an extreme cold warning for much of the Kawarthas for Friday overnight (January 29) into Saturday morning.
The extreme cold warning is in effect for the city and county of Peterborough, all of the City of Kawartha Lakes, and all of Northumberland County.
Wind chills near -30°C are expected overnight Friday and into Saturday morning. These wind chills may return again overnight on Saturday night into Sunday morning.
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Risks are greater for young children, older adults, people with chronic illnesses, people working or exercising outdoors, and those without proper shelter.
Watch for cold-related symptoms including shortness of breath, chest pain, muscle pain and weakness, and numbness and colour change in fingers and toes.
Cover up, as frostbite can develop within minutes on exposed skin, especially with wind chill.
Remember: if it’s too cold for you to stay outside, it’s also too cold for your pet to stay outside.
With in-person dining prohibited at restaurants, Gerti's in downtown Peterborough continues to take food orders for either takeout or delivery. Despite the financial challenges caused by the provincial lockdown, the locally owned gastropub is donating $5 from each weekly special (such as this Chicago-style lasagna) sold to support neonatal care at the Peterborough Regional Health Centre. (Photo by Gerti's chef Eric McKibbon)
If you’re looking for good food that will nourish your body and soul and the greater Peterborough community, look no further than Gerti’s gastropub in downtown Peterborough.
This story is one of an ongoing series by kawarthaNOW in support of locally owned eateries.
Although restaurants have been forced to close their doors to dining because of the pandemic, drastically reducing their revenue, this locally owned small business is still giving some of that revenue back to the community.
When the second provincial lockdown was announced, Gerti’s owners Diana and Sean Hunter decided to start a local fundraiser to support the Peterborough Regional Health Centre (PRHC). They are currently donating $5 of every weekly featured special purchased by customers to PRHC, through the PRHC Foundation Mombassadors group.
Gerti’s owners Diana and Sean Hunter. In April 2019, the couple purchased the restaurant from original owners Gerti and Alban Sina. (Photo courtesy of Gerti’s)
This isn’t the first time Gerti’s has done this fundraiser — they donated over $5,000 to the PRHC Foundation during the first lockdown.
“This time, we didn’t know what part of the hospital needed our help,” explains Diana. “I contacted the foundation, and they suggested we pair up with Mombassadors.”
The PRHC Foundation Mombassadors is a growing group of local mothers who raise funds for equipment for the PRHC neonatal intensive care unit (NICU). The foundation works closely with the PRHC Foundation, a separate fundraising organization for the Peterborough hospital. Government funding does not cover technology and equipment for hospitals — hence the need for organizations like these.
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“All of us have some connection to the NICU, including my son and my sister’s son,” says Erin Marshall, who founded the Mombassadors group with her sister, Sarah McDougall Perrin, in 2018. “That’s how we started this.”
All of the proceeds raised by Gerti’s will go to the Mombassadors, who pass it on to the PRHC Foundation to help fund the hospital’s equipment needs for the NICU.
In the past, the foundation has raised funds for state-of-the-art equipment for the NICU including fetal heart monitors, warming beds, and infant ventilation systems.
Sarah McDougall Perrin, who founded the PRHC Foundation Mombassadors group in 2018 with her sister Erin Marshall, pictured with her husband Scott and their son Weston. Through the hospital’s foundation, the growing group of local mothers raises funds for the neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) at Peterborough Regional Health Centre (PRHC). (Photo by Jen Austin Driver supplied by PRHC Foundation Mombassadors)
“We weren’t able to do our main fundraising event this year because of the pandemic, so we are so excited to partner with Gerti’s on this,” Marshall explains. “As an organization, we understand that in this climate, it’s not a great time to fundraise, but this (Gerti’s fundraiser) has kept our momentum going.”
Marshall is a co-owner of Full Tilt Cycle spin studio, making her a downtown local business owner herself. She says the fundraiser is a win-win because it allows people to support a local business and a local charity in one go.
Gerti’s can certainly use the support, as the lockdown has taken a significant toll on their business. Diana says that, while they’re currently doing enough business to keep the lights on, her biggest priority is her staff — she wants to be sure they can come out of this.
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Fundraising has been an essential part of keeping both Diana and her staff’s spirits up during a tough time.
“It brings purpose to our every day,” Diana says.
To support the fundraiser, you can find Gerti’s weekly featured specials on their website at www.gertis.ca, where you can also place orders for either pickup or delivery. If ordering through the website isn’t for you, you can also order by calling or texting 705-743-7212.
In addition to their weekly featured specials, you can also order takeout or delivery from Gerti’s regular diverse menu. Gerti’s delivers within 15 kilometres of their location for a $5 delivery fee, or you can pick up your takeout order safely from the restaurant. (Photo by Gerti’s chef Eric McKibbon)
You can also support the fundraiser and Gerti’s by liking and sharing their posts on Facebook and Instagram.
Gerti’s is open for takeout and delivery from 4 to 9 p.m. Tuesday to Sunday (closed Monday). The restaurant delivers orders themselves, rather than using a third-party delivery service that would charge them high fees. Orders can be delivered to locations within 15 kilometres of Gerti’s for a $5 delivery fee.
If you choose to order takeout, there’s a table at the restaurant entrance where you can pick up your food and pay safely. Cash, e-transfer, debit, and credit are all accepted.
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While Diana would love for everyone to support Gerti’s and their fundraiser, she asks that the community support any locally owned business.
“I want to see every single business survive,” she says. “I would love to be able to go to all my favourite little spots after this is all over and know that they are going to be there.”
Gerti’s had created a covered and heated back patio to allow for outside dining during the pandemic, until the most recent provincial lockdown forces restaurants to provide takeout and delivery only. Gerti’s co-owner Diana Hunter hopes everyone makes an effort to support locally owned businesses during the pandemic lockdown. (Photo courtesy of Gerti’s)
“I’m honestly so proud of this community,” adds Diana. “My entire heart is full with all of the love and support, not just for Gerti’s, but my staff and all the other businesses around me.”
Gerti’s is located at 225 Hunter Street West, in the heart of the Hunter Street Café District in downtown Peterborough. To view the menu and make an order, visit www.gertis.ca.
Skaters on the Trent canal south of the Peterborough Lift Lock in 2016. The canal will be open for skating once city crews have finished clearing snow and preparing the ice surface. COVID-19 health and safety protocols will be in effect once the canal is open for skating; check for the green flag. (File photo)
With recent subzero temperatures continuing into next week, the Trent canal in Peterborough will soon be open for skating, the City of Peterborough announced on Friday (January 29).
Public works crews are currently clearing snow from the canal, south of the Peterborough Lift Lock, and flooding the ice surface to ensure conditions are safe for skating.
Patience is a virtue! We’re all excited to see our Public Works crew flooding the canal, but please stay off the ice until the flag is green. Trust us, it’ll be worth the wait. pic.twitter.com/Mdq3Db3NVr
When the canal is ready for skating, the red flag (which is still flying as preparation work continues) will be replaced with a green flag.
The city will post the canal status on its website and Facebook and Twitter accounts.
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Due to public health restrictions during the pandemic, only skating will be allowed on the canal. Sports and games are prohibited.
Anyone using the canal must remain with household members only. Physical distancing of at least two metres from other skaters not in your household is mandatory.
Only locals should be skating on the canal. While the province’s stay-at-home order allows for outdoor exercise, people should stay within their own community to do so.
Anyone using the canal is asked to keep their visits to a reasonable length of time to allow access for all residents.
As with neighbourhood rinks, if the canal is busy when you arrive, return at another time.
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Here are the City of Peterborough and Peterborough Public Health’s guidelines for canal and outdoor rink use:
Self-monitor for symptoms of COVID-19. Stay home if you are sick.
Maintain physical distancing of at least 2 metres (6 feet) from those outside of your household.
Do not gather in groups more than 5.
Skating only – no sports or games.
Wearing a mask or face covering is recommended.
Downloading the Government of Canada’s COVID Alert app to your phone is encouraged.
All children/dependents must be accompanied by a competent adult/guardian.
Be safe and be respectful of others.
Clean up after yourself.
Wash or sanitize hands before and after visiting.
Use at your own risk.
The city works with the health unit and police to monitor compliance with the province’s stay-at-home order. Residents who have concerns about non-compliance can contact the police through their non-emergency phone line at 705-876-1122.
The site plan for the new Canadian Canoe Museum to be located in Peterborough's East City just north of Beavermead Park. The museum is purchasing the Johnson property from the City of Peterborough for for $1,575,000. (Graphic: Canadian Canoe Museum / Lett Architects)
The Canadian Canoe Museum is purchasing the Johnson Park property in Peterborough’s East City for $1,575,000.
The museum and the City of Peterborough announced the conditional purchase and sale of the property — which will be the site of the museum’s new facility — on Friday (January 29).
The five-acre property is located at 2077 Ashburnham Drive in Peterborough, north of Beavermead Park, between Marsdale Drive and Maria Street.
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On Monday, Peterborough city council approved the direction to proceed with the sale of the land subject to conditions including rezoning, project validation, and confirmation of site appropriateness. The sale is expected to close by the summer, according to the museum.
The museum will be selling its current property at 910 Monaghan Road to help fund the new build project.
The museum’s new facility was originally going to be located beside the Peterborough Lift Lock on property owned by Parks Canada, with a design by Heneghan Peng Architects of Dublin. In October 2020, the museum abandoned both the original location and design after an independent investigation by the museum in May determined the site contains the chemical compound trichloroethylene (TCE), along with a variety of other chemicals.
The museum’s new facility in East City will be designed by Lett Architects of Peterborough.
Canadian Canoe Museum executive director Carolyn Hyslop paddling in Little Lake beside the Johnson property, the planned location for the museum’s new facility. (Photo: Canadian Canoe Museum)
“In less than a year we’ve moved from walking away from a contaminated site to forming a new build project team and identifying and securing an alternate location,” says Carolyn Hyslop, the museum’s executive director. “The purchase of a viable new site puts our project firmly on-track to be shovel-ready by the end of this year.”
The new museum will be built on a flat portion of the Johnson property, away from the floodplain, on the open land along Ashburnham Drive. The existing trail, shoreline, and natural waterfront to the west of the property will be preserved, the museum says.
Here’s an update on COVID-19 cases in Ontario as well as in the greater Kawarthas region.
Ontario is reporting 2,093 new cases today, the first increase over 2,000 since January 23. However, the seven-day average of daily cases across the province continues to decline, decreasing today by 77 to 2,128.
In the greater Kawarthas region, there are 13 new cases to report and 21 additional cases resolved, with the number of active cases across the region decreasing by 9 to 139.
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Most of today’s new cases are in Toronto (700), Peel (331), York (228), and Niagara (123).
There are double-digit increases in Hamilton (94), Durham (85), Windsor-Essex (67), Halton (64), Waterloo (56), Simcoe Muskoka (53), Ottawa (45), Wellington-Dufferin-Guelph (43), Middlesex-London (37), Eastern Ontario (30), Chatham-Kent (25), Huron Perth (18), Southwestern (16), Lambton (15), and Thunder Bay (14), with smaller increases in Sudbury (8), Leeds, Grenville & Lanark (7), Peterborough (6), and Brant (6).
The remaining 11 health units are reporting 5 or fewer new cases, with 3 health units reporting no new cases at all.
Of today’s new cases, 52% are among people 40 and older, with the highest number of cases (746) among people ages 20-39, followed by 598 cases among people ages 40-59 and 328 cases among people ages 60-79.
With 2,491 more cases resolved since yesterday, the percentage of resolved cases has increased by 0.2% to 89.5%. The average positivity rate across Ontario has decreased since yesterday by 0.7% to 3.3%, meaning that 33 out of every 1,000 tests performed were positive for COVID-19 on January 27.
Ontario is reporting 56 new COVID-19 deaths today, including 31 in long-term care homes, pushing the number of COVID-related deaths in the province since the pandemic began to over 6,000. Ontario has averaged 57 new daily deaths over the past 7 days.
Hospitalizations have decreased by 44 from yesterday to 1,338, with the number of patients with COVID-19 in ICUs decreasing by 19 to 358, and the number of patients with COVID-19 on ventilators decreasing by 15 to 276. A total of 64,664 tests were completed yesterday, with the backlog of tests under investigation increasing by 1,486 to 48,386.
A total of 317,240 doses of vaccine have now been administered, an increase of 11,910 from yesterday, with 55,286 people fully vaccinated with both doses of vaccine. The government is now reporting the actual number of people who are fully vaccinated with two doses. Previously, they were erroneously reporting the total number of doses administered to achieve full vaccination as the number of people fully vaccinated; this error meant the government was reporting twice the number of people who were actually fully vaccinated.
There are 2 new cases in Ontario schools, a decrease of 4 from yesterday, including 1 student case and 1 case in an unidentified person. There are 20 new cases in licensed child care settings in Ontario, a decrease of 24 from yesterday, with 10 cases among children and 10 cases among staff.
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In the greater Kawarthas region, there are 13 new cases to report, including 5 in Kawartha Lakes, 4 in Peterborough, 3 in Northumberland, and 1 in Hastings Prince Edward. There are no new cases in Haliburton.
Of the cases in Ontario’s licensed child care settings reported today, there is 1 case among staff at Trent Child Care in Bridgenorth.
An additional 21 cases have been resolved, including 7 in Kawartha Lakes, 6 in Northumberland, 6 in Hastings Prince Edward, and 2 in Peterborough. The outbreak at Caressant Care nursing home on Mary Street in Lindsay has been declared resolved.
There are currently 139 active cases in the greater Kawarthas region, a decrease of 9 from yesterday, including 63 in Kawartha Lakes, 50 in Peterborough, 15 in Northumberland, 6 in Hastings Prince Edward (5 in Quinte West and 1 in Belleville), and 5 in Haliburton.
Since the pandemic began in the greater Kawarthas region, there have been 535 confirmed positive cases in the Peterborough area (478 resolved with 7 deaths), 419 in the City of Kawartha Lakes (329 resolved with 40 deaths), 367 in Northumberland County (345 resolved with 7 deaths), 48 in Haliburton County (43 resolved with no deaths), and 366 in Hastings and Prince Edward counties (355 resolved with 5 deaths). The most recent 2 deaths were reported in Kawartha Lakes and Northumberland on January 27.
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).
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: 535 (increase of 4) Active cases: 50 (increase of 2) Close contacts: 76 (increase of 4) Deaths: 7 (no change) Resolved: 478 (increase of 2) Hospitalizations (total to date): 23 (no change)* Total tests completed: Over 41,400 (increase of 100) Outbreaks: The Regency retirement home in Lakefield, Centennial Place long-term care home in Millbrook, Peterborough Regional Health Centre, Peterborough Retirement Residence (no change)
*As of January 28, Peterborough Regional Health Centre is reporting 12 patients hospitalized with COVID-19 (a decrease of 5 from yesterday) and 12 patients transferred from other areas as a result of a provincial directive (an increase of 1 from yesterday).
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 statutory holidays.
Confirmed positive: 834, including 419 in Kawartha Lakes, 367 in Northumberland, and 48 in Haliburton (increase of 8, including 5 in Kawartha Lakes and 3 in Northumberland)* Active cases: 83, including 63 in Kawartha Lakes, 15 in Northumberland, and 5 in Haliburton (decrease of 6, including 2 in Kawartha Lakes and 4 in Northumberland) Probable cases: 4, including 2 in Kawartha Lakes, 1 in Northumberland, and 1 in Haliburton (increase of 2, including 1 in Northumberland and 1 in Haliburton) High-risk contacts: 134, including 66 in Kawartha Lakes, 44 in Northumberland, and 16 in Haliburton (net decrease of 16)** Hospitalizations (total to date): 32, including 22 in Kawartha Lakes, 8 in Northumberland, and 2 in Haliburton (no change)*** Deaths (including among probable cases): 47, including 40 in Kawartha Lakes and 7 in Northumberland (no change) Resolved: 717, including 329 in Kawartha Lakes, 345 in Northumberland, 43 in Haliburton (increase of 13, including 7 in Kawartha Lakes and 6 in Northumberland) Institutional outbreaks: Hope St. Terrace long-term care home in Port Hope, Caressant Care McLaughlin Road long-term care home in Lindsay, Golden Plough Lodge in Cobourg, Warkworth Place long-term care home in Warkworth, Caressant Care retirement home in Lindsay (decrease of 1)****
*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.
**This total includes an additional 8 high-risk contacts directly followed up through the Public Health Ontario contact tracing process that are missing the contacts’ county.
***As of January 28, Ross Memorial Hospital in Lindsay reports 2 patients hospitalized with COVID-19 (no change from yesterday).
****The outbreak at Caressant Care nursing home on Mary Street in Lindsay has been declared resolved.
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, excluding statutory holidays.
Confirmed positive: 366 (increase of 1) Active cases: 6 (decrease of 5) Deaths: 5 (no change) Currently hospitalized: 1 (no change) Currently hospitalized and in ICU: 0 (no change) Currently hospitalized and in ICU on ventilator (total to date): 0 (no change) Resolved: 355 (increase of 6) Tests completed: 42,687 (decrease of 1) Vaccines administered: 483 (no change) Institutional outbreaks: Crown Ridge long-term care home in Quinte West (no change)
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Province of Ontario
Confirmed positive: 262,463 (increase of 2,093) 7-day average of new cases:: 2,128 (decrease of 77) Resolved: 234,971 (increase of 2,491, 89.5% of all cases) Positivity rate: 3.3% (decrease of 0.7%) Hospitalized: 1,338 (decrease of 44) Hospitalized and in ICU: 358 (decrease of 19) Hospitalized and in ICU on ventilator: 276 (decrease of 15) Deaths: 6,014 (increase of 56) Deaths of residents in long-term care homes: 3,518 (increase of 31) Total tests completed: 9,495,531 (increase of 64,664) Tests under investigation: 48,386 (increase of 1,486) Vaccination doses administered: 317,240 (increase of 11,910) People fully vaccinated (two doses): 55,286*
*The government is now reporting the actual number of people who are fully vaccinated with two doses. Previously, they were erroneously reporting the total number of doses administered to achieve full vaccination as the number of people fully vaccinated; this error meant the government was reporting twice the number of people who were actually fully vaccinated.
COVID-19 cases in Ontario from December 28, 2020 – January 27, 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 December 28, 2020 – January 27, 2021. The red line is the number of tests completed daily, 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 December 28, 2020 – January 27, 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 December 28, 2020 – January 27, 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)
David Edgerton receiving the federal Minister of Veterans Affairs Commendation from Parliamentary Secretary Eve Adams in 2012. (Photo: Veteran Affairs Canada)
Peterborough’s David Edgerton is one of 16 Ontario volunteers and volunteer organizations to receive the June Callwood Outstanding Achievement Award for Voluntarism.
The Ontario government presented the awards on Wednesday (January 27) during a virtual ceremony.
The award is named after the late journalist and author June Callwood, who was one of Canada’s most well-known social activists. She founded or co-founded more than 50 Canadian social action organizations.
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“A local military historian, David spent more than 12 years and countless volunteer hours spearheading the creation of Peterborough’s Veterans Wall of Honour in 2010,” reads an Ontario government media release. “He eagerly shares his knowledge and enjoys making regular visits to seniors, service clubs and schools.”
Edgerton was awarded the Queen Elizabeth II Diamond Jubilee Medal in 2012 for his work on the Veterans Wall of Honour. He has also been a member of the Royal Canadian Legion for more than 45 years and a dedicated volunteer who has received multiple awards from the legion, including the Palm Leaf, its highest honour.
In 2019, the City of Peterborough named Edgerton the Peterborough Volunteer of the Year as part of the city’s annual civic awards.
The other recipients of the June Callwood Outstanding Achievement Award for Voluntarism are:
Réjeanne Bélisle – Haileybury
Charles “Charlie” Brown – Mississauga
Victor Herrington – Sparta
Eli Katan – Toronto
Adam Lake – Mississauga
Divya Massilamani – Ottawa
Sue Murray – Burlington
Aditi Sivakumar – Ottawa
Richard Zarour – Tecumseh
The May Court Club of Ottawa – Ottawa
Multicultural Heritage Association of Norfolk – Delhi
Nipissing Trackers – North Bay
The Volunteers of the 24/7 Support Line Peer Mentor Team – London
The Nile Association of Ontario – Brampton
Youth Assisting Youth – Toronto
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Since 2009, 203 individuals and groups have received the award. An independent selection committee, appointed by the Minister of Heritage, Sport, Tourism and Culture Industries, reviews the nominations and recommends candidates to receive the award.
The deadline for 2021 June Callwood Award nominations has been extended to April 1, 2021. Nominations can be made at the Ontario government website.
Caressant Care McLaughlin Road is a 96-bed long-term care home in Lindsay. (Photo: Google Maps)
COVID-19 cases in the Haliburton Kawartha Pine Ridge (HKPR) District Health Unit remain in an upswing, primarily due to worsening outbreaks in area long-term care homes.
“Because of the restrictions that are in place, we are seeing quieter days sometimes, but we still have had over 150 cases in the last two weeks,” said Dr. Ian Gemmill, acting medical officer of health, during a virtual media briefing on Wednesday (January 27).
“About half of those new cases are in outbreaks,” Dr. Gemmill said.
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There are currently six institutional outbreaks in the health unit’s region, the most serious of which is at Caressant Care McLaughlin Road long-term care home in Lindsay. The outbreak was declared on January 9. As of January 27, there are 22 confirmed cases in residents and 19 cases in staff, as well as three resident deaths.
So far in 2020, there have been 13 COVID-related deaths in the health unit’s region, with five deaths in Northumberland County and eight in the City of Kawartha Lakes. At least half of those deaths have been of residents in area long-term case homes.
“(The outbreak at Caressant Care McLaughlin Road) is under control, and we are working with the people providing care there to make sure that it stays that way,” Dr. Gemmill said. “But it has had some spillover with other parts of the community. I want to assure people that what’s happening in Lindsay is not out of the ordinary. What’s happening there is something that could happen anywhere in Ontario.”
Worsening outbreaks among the most vulnerable populations living in long-term care homes reveal the urgency for vaccinations, according to Dr. Gemmill.
“Outbreaks can be stopped by vaccines,” he said.
The health unit received 700 doses of the Moderna mRNA vaccine on Monday (January 25) and is currently distributing it to residents of Pinecrest Nursing Home in Bobcaygeon, Hope Street Terrace in Port Hope, and Maplewood Long-Term Care Home in Brighton.
“We’ve started in long-term care homes because these are the most vulnerable people,” explained Dr. Gemmill. “That’s also what the province of Ontario has directed us to do. We’ve got to stop these outbreaks — to keep these elderly people, these vulnerable people, protected.”
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About 1,600 long-term care residents are living in the health unit’s area. The current supply of 700 doses will vaccinate under half of these residents.
The health unit expects to receive a few hundred more doses of the Moderna vaccine next week. Dr. Gemmill said that, based on what the provincial government has told him, all area long-term care residents will be inoculated by February 5th.
Once long-term care residents have been vaccinated, the health unit will begin to inoculate long-term care staff, essential caregivers, and healthcare workers. Although there are currently vaccine supply issues, Dr. Gemmill said that, eventually, everyone who wants it will have access to the vaccine.
“A large portion of the population will need to receive the vaccine for community-wide protection,” he said. “That is how we get back to normal.”
Dr. Gemmill also addressed potential concerns about the safety of the vaccine, given the speed of its development.
“The clinical trials have been conducted on tens of thousands of people,” he said. “Millions, since its licensing, have already received it. We are not hearing that there are safety problems with this vaccine.”
“(Vaccine development) was fast, but they were able to piggy-back on a technology that had been developed for other purposes, and it worked.”
The health unit has already submitted its completed COVID-19 vaccination program to the provincial health ministry. The program details their plans for vaccine distribution over the next few months.
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In the meantime, Dr. Gemmill continues to urge people to respect the stay-at-home orders issued by the provincial government, to keep people uninfected until they are vaccinated.
“The virus is still present everywhere, and it can have significant complications like hospitalization,” he said. “Never forget that we are only two or three degrees of separation away from someone vulnerable.”
Social gatherings banned by the stay-at-home order do not have to be organized or large gatherings, Dr. Gemmill pointed out.
“Gatherings can be as simple as a pickup game of some sport. The province of Ontario is asking you to stay home.”
He encouraged anyone who wants to socialize to do it virtually.
“Please don’t get together for coffee or beer unless it’s by Zoom,” Dr. Gemmill said. “Even birthday parties should be done remotely now. It’s up to us all to take action so that others do not become ill.”
As of January 27, there are 89 active cases of COVID-19 in the health unit’s region, including 65 in Kawartha Lakes, 19 in Northumberland, and 5 in Haliburton.
The nocturnal northern flying squirrel, which uses excess skin between its limbs to glide up to 45 metres between trees, is active during winter and has a unique partnership with other flying squirrels to keep warm during the freezing-cold winter nights. This still of footage of a flying squirrel, used in a CBC Nature of Things documentary, was captured in Peterborough by Trent University researchers. (CBC screenshot)
Winter can be a difficult season; the days are short, the skies can be overcast and grey, and the weather can keep us housebound.
Each week, GreenUP provides a story related to the environment. This week’s column is by GreenUP Communications and Marketing Specialist Leif Einarson.
This year, winter seems even more difficult as we continue our efforts to flatten the curve of COVID-19.
Sometimes we can feel stuck in winter. It can seem harsh, lifeless — like the full stop of all things green and good. It is no wonder this season is often associated with feelings of melancholy.
The truth is, winter is a beautiful, temporary pause that is full of life. Even now, the Kawarthas are full of activity, hope, and marvel.
Here are four wonders that winter has to offer. I hope they remind you that the difficulties we face now are momentary hardships we can bear together.
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1. The flying squirrel cuddle puddle
A “cuddle puddle”, where northern flying squirrels without any family connection cuddle together to keep each other warm during cold winters in the Kawarthas. (Photo: Sasha Newar)
You may recently have watched a new Nature of Things documentary on CBC called Wild Canadian Weather – Cold (you can watch it free on CBC Gem).
All about the wonders of winter in Canada, the documentary features a particularly adorable sequence about the amazing northern flying squirrel (glaucomys sabrinus).
As you watch Cold, you should know that the northern flying squirrel footage was all captured in Peterborough thanks to the amazing Kawartha Flying Squirrel Project based at Trent University. (Yes, the place we live really is that amazing and teeming with wildlife, and let’s keep it that way!)
“Flying squirrels are nocturnal, non-hibernating mammals,” explains Sasha Newar, a doctoral candidate at Trent University who is working on the Kawartha Flying Squirrel Project. “This means that flying squirrels have to wake up every cold, winter night to find food.”
VIDEO: “Cuddle puddle” to survive the cold
“Flying squirrels leave their winter nests to seek out food stores that they made during the summer months,” Newar adds. “Using excess skin between their arms and legs, flying squirrels can glide from tree to tree to find the places they’ve hidden food. By gliding, they save energy that they can use to keep warm while they travel around the snowy canopies.”
Even with their efficient gliding, being out on cold winter nights can really chill a tiny squirrel to the bone. Newar explains that flying squirrels have an adorable way to warm up:
“By the time they make it back to their nest with a full belly, they are joined by several other flying squirrels to form a warm cuddle puddle. Together — sometimes in groups as big as 50 — they generate enough body heat to comfortably sleep through another chilly, winter day.”
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2. Sweetheart frog-cicles
Valentine’s Day is coming up, and there’s nothing sweeter than a heart full of sugar — literally.
You may be thinking of those cheesy candy hearts, but I’m talking about the real hearts and other vital organs of the northern leopard frog (Lithobates pipiens).
Northern leopard frogs survive the winter thanks to concentrations of glucose in their heart and other vital organs. This prevents their organs from freezing. (Photo: Leif Einarson)
Right now, under the ice of rivers, creeks, and ponds, the organs of northern leopard frogs are concentrated with glucose (aka sugar) to prevent them from freezing.
How sweet is that?
Technically, northern leopard frogs are “brumating”, not hibernating. Hibernating animals go through the winter without waking, even if disturbed. Brumating animals, however, typically wake up at regular intervals to drink a bit of water, shift positions, and then go back to sleep.
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3. Turtle bum-breathing
Currently, under the mud in wetlands all around Peterborough, turtles are hibernating.
To stay alive under all the ice and snow, turtles need some oxygen. They are buried, so they cannot use their lungs to exchange the gases in their blood vessels.
Turtles, like this adult female snapping turtle, breathe during hibernation by exchanging gases across the vascularized skin around their bum. (Photo: Leif Einarson)
Instead, they have a neat trick that allows them to exchange gases through areas of their body where blood vessels are close to their skin. There is one area on a turtle’s body that is particularly good at this kind of “breathing” because it is quite rich in blood vessels — their bum.
In other words, turtles breathe through their bums to survive their frosty hibernation. (Technically, this is called “cloacal respiration.”)
Next time you are lucky enough to go for a winter walk near one of the amazing wetlands in the Kawarthas, just look down and imagine all the turtles bum-breathing underneath the ice and snow.
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4. The sugar maple’s slumber
In winter, the sugar maples have withdrawn their sweet sap deep down into their roots, under the snow.
In a few months, when the weather is just right, these trees will begin pumping their sweet sap back up towards their branches.
You may already know that a typical sugar maple can produce about 40 litres of sap per season. But did you know that these sugar maples are capable of far heftier feats than transporting spring’s first sweet sap?
Local filmmaker Cara Mumford’s short film “The Oldest Tree in the World”, which screened at the 2018 ReFrame Film Festival, is a tribute to the oldest sugar maple in the region, located in Mark S. Burnham Provincial Park in Peterborough. (Photo: Cara Mumford)
On a hot summer day, a mature sugar maple can lift as much as 200 litres of water from its roots up to the surface of its leaves. That’s a daily lift of 200 kilograms of water.
As you read this, maples and other deciduous trees are taking a well-deserved pause from this heavy lifting and their crucial role as the lungs of this planet.
I hope you too will take a pause and allow yourself to be inspired by the hope, activity, and joy all around us this winter.
Here’s an update on COVID-19 cases in Ontario as well as in the greater Kawarthas region.
Ontario is reporting 1,670 new cases today — the lowest single-day increase since November 25, when 1,478 cases were reported. The seven-day average of daily cases across the province has fallen by 141 to 2,205.
In the greater Kawarthas region, there are 12 new cases to report and 24 additional cases resolved, with the number of active cases across the region decreasing by 7 to 148. There has been 1 new death in Kawartha Lakes and 1 new death in Northumberland.
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Most of today’s new cases are in Toronto (450), Peel (342), York (171), and Niagara (128).
There are double-digit increases in Hamilton (84), Ottawa (82), Waterloo (75), Durham (63), Halton (48), Windsor-Essex (37), Middlesex-London (36), Eastern Ontario (28), Simcoe Muskoka (21), Chatham-Kent (15), Brant (15), Thunder Bay (14), Sudbury (13), Porcupine (10), and Wellington-Dufferin-Guelph (10), with smaller increases in Peterborough (6) and Huron Perth (6).
The remaining 13 health units are reporting 5 or fewer new cases, with 6 health units reporting no new cases at all.
Of today’s new cases, 51% are among people 39 and younger, with the highest number of cases (618) among people ages 20-39, followed by 481 cases among people ages 40-59. With 2,725 more cases resolved since yesterday, the percentage of resolved cases has increased by 0.5% to 89.3%.
The average positivity rate across Ontario has decreased since yesterday by 1.9% to 4.0%, meaning that 40 out of every 1,000 tests performed were positive for COVID-19 on January 26.
Ontario is reporting 49 new COVID-19 deaths today, including 25 in long-term care homes. Hospitalizations have decreased by 84 from yesterday to 1,382, with the number of patients with COVID-19 in ICUs decreasing by 6 to 377, and the number of patients with COVID-19 on ventilators decreasing by 7 to 291.
A total of 55,191 tests were completed yesterday, with the backlog of tests under investigation increasing by 10,495 to 46,900. A total of 305,330 doses of vaccine have now been administered, an increase of 9,513 from yesterday, with 96,459 vaccinations completed (i.e., both doses administered), an increase of 13,174 from yesterday.
There are 6 new cases in Ontario schools, a decrease of 6 from yesterday, including 4 student cases and 2 cases among people not identified. There are 44 new cases in licensed child care settings in Ontario, an increase of 7 from yesterday, with 18 cases among children and 26 cases among staff.
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In the greater Kawarthas region, there are 12 new cases to report, including 10 in Peterborough, 1 in Kawartha Lakes, and 1 in Haliburton. There are no new cases in Hastings Prince Edward or Northumberland.
There has been 1 new death in Kawartha Lakes and 1 new death in Northumberland. There is 1 new hospitalization in Kawartha Lakes.
An additional 24 cases have been resolved, including 8 in Kawartha Lakes, 8 in Northumberland, 5 in Peterborough, 2 in Hastings Prince Edward, and 1 in Haliburton.
There are currently 148 active cases in the greater Kawarthas region, a decrease of 7 from yesterday, including 65 in Kawartha Lakes, 48 in Peterborough, 19 in Northumberland, 11 in Hastings Prince Edward (7 in Quinte West and 4 in Belleville), and 5 in Haliburton.
Since the pandemic began in the greater Kawarthas region, there have been 531 confirmed positive cases in the Peterborough area (476 resolved with 7 deaths), 414 in the City of Kawartha Lakes (322 resolved with 40 deaths), 365 in Northumberland County (339 resolved with 7 deaths), 48 in Haliburton County (43 resolved with no deaths), and 365 in Hastings and Prince Edward counties (349 resolved with 5 deaths). The most recent 2 deaths were reported in Kawartha Lakes and Northumberland on January 27.
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).
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: 531 (increase of 10) Active cases: 48 (increase of 5) Close contacts: 72 (increase of 8) Deaths: 7 (no change) Resolved: 476 (increase of 5) Hospitalizations (total to date): 23 (no change)* Total tests completed: Over 41,300 (increase of 100) Outbreaks: The Regency retirement home in Lakefield, Centennial Place long-term care home in Millbrook, Peterborough Regional Health Centre, Peterborough Retirement Residence (no change)
*As of January 27, Peterborough Regional Health Centre is reporting 14 patients hospitalized with COVID-19 (a decrease of 3 from yesterday) and 11 patients transferred from other areas as a result of a provincial directive.
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 statutory holidays.
Confirmed positive: 827, including 414 in Kawartha Lakes, 365 in Northumberland, and 48 in Haliburton (increase of 2, including 1 in Kawartha Lakes and 1 in Haliburton)* Active cases: 89, including 65 in Kawartha Lakes, 19 in Northumberland, and 5 in Haliburton (decrease of 10, including 3 in Kawartha Lakes and 7 in Northumberland) Probable cases: 4, including 2 in Kawartha Lakes, 1 in Northumberland, and 1 in Haliburton (increase of 2, including 1 in Northumberland and 1 in Haliburton) High-risk contacts: 150, including 80 in Kawartha Lakes, 43 in Northumberland, and 16 in Haliburton (net decrease of 2)** Hospitalizations (total to date): 32, including 22 in Kawartha Lakes, 8 in Northumberland, and 2 in Haliburton (increase of 1, in Kawartha Lakes)*** Deaths (including among probable cases): 47, including 40 in Kawartha Lakes and 7 in Northumberland (increase of 2, including 1 in Kawartha Lakes and 1 in Northumberland) Resolved: 704, including 322 in Kawartha Lakes, 339 in Northumberland, 43 in Haliburton (increase of 17, including 8 in Kawartha Lakes, 8 in Northumberland, and 1 in Haliburton) Institutional outbreaks: Hope St. Terrace long-term care home in Port Hope, Caressant Care McLaughlin Road long-term care home in Lindsay, Golden Plough Lodge in Cobourg, Warkworth Place long-term care home in Warkworth, Caressant Care retirement home in Lindsay, Caressant Care nursing home in 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.
**This total includes an additional 11 high-risk contacts directly followed up through the Public Health Ontario contact tracing process that are missing the contacts’ county.
***As of January 27, Ross Memorial Hospital in Lindsay reports 2 patients hospitalized with COVID-19.
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, excluding statutory holidays.
Confirmed positive: 365 (no change) Active cases: 11 (decrease of 2) Deaths: 5 (no change) Currently hospitalized: 1 (no change) Currently hospitalized and in ICU: 0 (no change) Currently hospitalized and in ICU on ventilator (total to date): 0 (no change) Resolved: 349 (increase of 2) Tests completed: 42,688 (increase of 40) Vaccines administered: 483 (increase of 90) Institutional outbreaks: Crown Ridge long-term care home in Quinte West (no change)
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Province of Ontario
Confirmed positive: 260,370 (increase of 1,670) Resolved: 232,480 (increase of 2,725, 89.3% of all cases) Positivity rate: 4.0% (decrease of 1.9%) Hospitalized: 1,382 (decrease of 84) Hospitalized and in ICU: 377 (decrease of 6) Hospitalized and in ICU on ventilator: 291 (decrease of 7) Deaths: 5,958 (increase of 49) Deaths of residents in long-term care homes: 3,487 (increase of 25) Total tests completed: 9,430,867 (increase of 55,191) Tests under investigation: 46,900 (increase of 10,495) Vaccination doses administered: 305,330 (increase of 9,513) Vaccination completed (both doses): 96,459 (increase of 13,174)
COVID-19 cases in Ontario from December 27, 2020 – January 26, 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 December 27, 2020 – January 26, 2021. The red line is the number of tests completed daily, 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 December 27, 2020 – January 26, 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 December 27, 2020 – January 26, 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)
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