kawarthaNOW is providing a daily report of COVID-19 cases in the greater Kawarthas region.

Here’s today summary: there are now 72 confirmed positive cases in the Peterborough area, 136 in the City of Kawartha Lakes, 13 in Northumberland County, 7 in Haliburton County, and 43 in Hastings County and Prince Edward County.

That’s a increase of 1 case from yesterday’s report, with 1 new case in Peterborough.

There have been 39 deaths. The most recent death was reported on May 7 by Hastings Prince Edward Public Health.

Province-wide, there are 19,598 confirmed cases, an increase of 477 from yesterday, with 13,990 cases resolved, an increase of 421 from yesterday. There have been 1,540 deaths, an increase of 63 from yesterday. A total of 397,149 tests have been completed, an increase of 16,295 from yesterday, with 13,990 tests under investigation, an increase of 1,629 from yesterday.

This report is based on data supplied by the province’s integrated Public Health Information System (iPHIS), as well as any additional information supplied by hospitals. This information is at least 24 hours old, so it is not real-time data.

We publish the daily report, usually by late afternoon, with the most current information released by health units. Note that each health unit reports the information in a different way.

Peterborough Public Health

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

Confirmed positive: 72 (increase of 1 from May 7)
Confirmed negative: Data currently unavailable*
Results pending: Data currently unavailable*
Deaths: 2 (no change from from May 7)
Resolved: 57 (increase of 1 from May 7)
Total tests completed: Over 4,800 (no change from May 7)*
Institutional outbreaks: St. Joseph’s at Fleming (decrease of 2 from May 7)**

*Peterborough Public Health and its partners are currently testing in long-term care homes and retirement homes. This is rapidly increasing the number of tests performed and causing a delay in the health unit’s ability to accurately report these figures. Current data will be provided as soon as possible.

**Outbreaks at Extendicare Lakefield and Peterborough Retirement Residence have been declared over due to a lab error resulting in false positive tests.

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.

Confirmed positive: 157, including 136 in Kawartha Lakes, 13 in Northumberland, 7 in Haliburton (no change from May 7)*
Probable cases: 1 (no change from May 7)
Hospitalizations: 10 (no change from May 7)
Deaths: 32, including 28 in Pinecrest Nursing Home in Bobcaygeon (no change from May 7)
Resolved: 126 (increase of 2 from May 7)
Institutional outbreaks: Pinecrest Nursing Home in Bobcaygeon, Caressant Care Lindsay, Maplewood Nursing Home in Brighton (no change from May 7)**

*A laboratory decision was made to reject all COVID-19 positive test results performed over the weekend of Apr 25-26. After re-swabbing and re-testing, 10 cases previously reported confirmed cases have been removed as re-testing has indicated negative results for COVID-19.

**An outbreak at Ross Memorial Hospital in Lindsay was declared over on May 7. An outbreak at Case Manor in Bobcaygeon has been rescinded due to a lab error resulting in false positive tests.

Hastings Prince Edward Public Health

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

Confirmed positive: 43 (no change from May 7)
Probable cases: 186 (decrease of 2 from May 7)
Deaths: 5 (no change from May 7)
Hospitalized: 1 (no change from May 7)
Hospitalized and in ICU: 1 (no change from May 7)
Hospitalized and in ICU on ventilator: 0 (no change from May 7)
Recovered: 20 (no change from May 7)
Total tests completed: 4,148 (increase of 218 from May 7)
Institutional outbreaks: Hastings Manor in Belleville, Moira Place in Tweed (no change from May 7)*

*Number of cases not reported.

Province of Ontario

Confirmed positive: 19,598 (increase of 477 from May 7)
Hospitalized: 1,028 (decrease of 5 from May 7)
Hospitalized and in ICU: 213 (increase of 7 from May 7)
Hospitalized and in ICU on ventilator: 166 (increase of 11 from May 7)
Deaths: 1,540 (increase of 63 from May 7)
Total tests completed 397,149 (increase of 16,295 from May 7)
Tests under investigation: 14,641 (increase of 1,629 from May 7)
Resolved: 13,990 (increase of 421 from May 7)

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

The COVID-19 outbreak at Ross Memorial Hospital in Lindsay was declared over on Thursday (May 7).

On April 17th, an inpatient on the hospital’s CCP1 (Continuing Care Program) unit tested positive for COVID-19. On April 20th, two hospital workers on the unit tested positive for COVID-19, but it has since been determined through contact tracing that one of the infections was unrelated to the hospital.

The hospital worked with the Haliburton, Kawartha, Pine Ridge District Health Unit to complete contact tracing and testing, and the outbreak was limited to one patient and one staff member.

“Our team quickly identified and contained the spread of COVID-19 on the unit, maintaining the safety of our patients and staff,” says the hospital’s president and CEO Kelly Isfan.

Isfan also encourages people experiencing serious health issues not to be afraid to visit the hospital to seek care.

“The emergency department has seen a significant decrease in visits, but this does not mean our community members are not experiencing medical emergencies,” Isfan points out. “Our team is here for you, and we don’t want you to delay a hospital visit if you need care.”

Reasons to visit the emergency department include:

• Seizure or convulsions
• A broken bone or wound requiring stitches
• Chest pain or tightness in the chest
• Difficulty breathing
• Abdominal pain
• Confusion and disorientation
• Stiff neck and sensitivity to light
• Continuous vomiting or severe diarrhea with signs of dehydration
• Sudden severe headache, weakness, vision problems, numbness, tingling, trouble speaking, or dizziness

In addition, any infant under three months of age with a fever over 38.5°C (101°F) or who has a fever and is difficult to wake should be seen at the emergency department.

As for elective procedures and scheduled surgeries, Ross Memorial Hospital is in the planning phase to resume these services, in accordance with the framework announced by the Ontario government on Thursday (May 7).

That framework requires hospitals to have a stable number of COVID-19 cases, a stable supply of personal protective equipment, a stable supply of medications, adequate capacity of inpatient and intensive care unit beds, an adequate capacity of health human resources, and the availability of post-acute care outside the hospital that would be required to support patients after discharge.

As the current time, hospitals are only allowed to begin planning for the resumption of elective procedures and scheduled surgeries. A March 19th directive from Ontario’s chief medical officer of health that requires hospitals to reduce or eliminate non-essential and elective services remains in effect.

Miskin Law admits it made a mistake.

On Tuesday (May 5), the Peterborough-based law firm announced it was launching a class action lawsuit against Bio-Test Laboratories and Spartan Bioscience Inc., both of Ottawa. The firm had alleged that Spartan Bioscience supplied COVID-19 tests to Bio-Test Laboratories, which resulted in false positive test results from samples of staff members and residents of Case Manor Care Community, a long-term care facility in Bobcaygeon.

After learning of the lawsuit, Spartan Bioscience publicly refuted Miskin Law’s allegations, saying its COVID-19 tests were never used at Bio-Test Laboratories. While Spartan Bioscience’s rapid tests had come under scrutiny by Health Canada, it was because of concerns about false negative test results, not false positive ones.

“We apologize to Spartan for involving them and we will proceed with the claim against Bio-Test Laboratories,” says Murray Miskin, senior lawyer and managing director of Miskin Law.

Miskin Law claims Spartan Bioscience was originally included in the lawsuit “based on incorrect information provided to the law firm.” The firm does not explain why it did not contact Spartan Bioscience before naming them in a lawsuit to confirm their tests were actually used.

On April 26th, the Haliburton, Kawartha, Pine Ridge District Health Unit declared a outbreak at Case Manor after 12 asymptomatic staff and residents tested positive for COVID-19.

On May 1st, the health unit was notified by Bio-Test Laboratories that a technical error had prompted the lab to reject all COVID-19 positive test results performed the previous weekend, including the 12 results from staff and residents of Case Manor. There was a concern the results may have been falsely positive.

Miskin Law says it was contacted on May 2nd by Case Manor staff and has since been retained by a number of the staff “about their losses due to the false positive findings affecting them and their families.”

The firm says it has proceeded with a class action lawsuit issued online on May 5th for the Superior Court in Peterborough against Bio-Test Laboratories, and all three of the firm’s lawyers held a video conference on May 6th with 11 Case Manor staff about the lawsuit.

Miskin Law says it may expand the lawsuit to include others in the City of Kawartha Lakes and Peterborough who had false positive test results from the same round of testing at Bio-Test Laboratories.

During her weekly media briefing on May 6th, Peterborough medical officer of health Dr. Rosanna Salvaterra said the lab error resulting in false positive test results shouldn’t erode public confidence in COVID-19 testing,

“The lab (Bio-Test Laboratories) was very pro-active in identifying that there was a problem and then taking all the right steps and notifying us,” Dr. Salvaterra said. “As with any test, there is always the possibility that the test result is not accurate.”

“For the most part, the molecular testing being done now is very good at picking up the virus but it also has limits. We know if you test people that don’t have any symptoms, they may not have enough virus present for the test to pick it up. If the test is used for people who have symptoms, it’s a very good test.”

kawarthaNOW is providing a daily report of COVID-19 cases in the greater Kawarthas region.

Here’s today summary: there are now 71 confirmed positive cases in the Peterborough area, 136 in the City of Kawartha Lakes, 13 in Northumberland County, 7 in Haliburton County, and 43 in Hastings County and Prince Edward County.

That’s an increase of 6 cases from yesterday’s report, with 4 new cases in Peterborough and 2 new cases in Kawartha Lakes.

Outbreaks at Extendicare Lakefield and Peterborough Retirement Residence have been declared over due to a lab error resulting in false positive tests.

There have been 39 deaths, an increase of 1, with the most recent death reported on May 7 by Hastings Prince Edward Public Health. No details on the latest death are available.

Province-wide, there are 19,121 confirmed cases, an increase of 399 from yesterday, with 13,569 cases resolved, an increase of 347 from yesterday. There have been 1,477 deaths, an increase of 48 from yesterday. A total of 380,854 tests have been completed, an increase of 15,179 from yesterday, with 13,012 tests under investigation, an increase of 347 from yesterday.

This report is based on data supplied by the province’s integrated Public Health Information System (iPHIS), as well as any additional information supplied by hospitals. This information is at least 24 hours old, so it is not real-time data.

We publish the daily report, usually by late afternoon, with the most current information released by health units. Note that each health unit reports the information in a different way.

Peterborough Public Health

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

Confirmed positive: 71 (increase of 4 from May 6)
Confirmed negative: Data currently unavailable*
Results pending: Data currently unavailable*
Deaths: 2 (no change from from May 6)
Resolved: 56 (increase of 10 from May 6)
Total tests completed: Over 4,800 (no change from May 6)*
Institutional outbreaks: St. Joseph’s at Fleming (decrease of 2 from May 6)**

*Peterborough Public Health and its partners are currently testing in long-term care homes and retirement homes. This is rapidly increasing the number of tests performed and causing a delay in the health unit’s ability to accurately report these figures. Current data will be provided as soon as possible.

**Outbreaks at Extendicare Lakefield and Peterborough Retirement Residence have been declared over due to a lab error resulting in false positive tests.

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.

Confirmed positive: 157, including 136 in Kawartha Lakes, 13 in Northumberland, 7 in Haliburton (increase of 2 from May 6)*
Hospitalizations: 10 (no change from May 6)
Deaths: 32, including 28 in Pinecrest Nursing Home in Bobcaygeon (no change from May 6)
Resolved: 124 (increase of 1 from May 6)
Institutional outbreaks: Pinecrest Nursing Home in Bobcaygeon, Caressant Care Lindsay, Maplewood Nursing Home in Brighton (decrease of 1 from May 6) **

*A laboratory decision was made to reject all COVID-19 positive test results performed over the weekend of Apr 25-26. After re-swabbing and re-testing, 10 cases previously reported confirmed cases have been removed as re-testing has indicated negative results for COVID-19.

**A Ross Memorial Hospital in Lindsay has been declared over. A previously declared outbreak at Case Manor in Bobcaygeon has been rescinded due to a lab error resulting in false positive tests.

Hastings Prince Edward Public Health

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

Confirmed positive: 43 (no change from May 6)
Probable cases: 188 (decrease of 4 from May 6)
Deaths: 5 (increase of 1 from May 6)
Hospitalized: 1 (no change from May 6)
Hospitalized and in ICU: 1 (no change from May 6)
Hospitalized and in ICU on ventilator: 0 (no change from May 6)
Recovered: 20 (no change from May 6)
Total tests completed: 3,930 (increase of 264 from May 6)
Institutional outbreaks: Hastings Manor in Belleville, Moira Place in Tweed (no change from May 6)*

*Number of cases not reported.

Province of Ontario

Confirmed positive: 19,121 (increase of 399 from May 6)
Hospitalized: 1,033 (increase of 1 from May 6)
Hospitalized and in ICU: 220 (increase of 1 from May 6)
Hospitalized and in ICU on ventilator: 155 (decrease of 19 from May 6)
Deaths: 1,477 (increase of 48 from May 6)
Total tests completed 380,854 (increase of 15,179 from May 6)
Tests under investigation: 13,012 (increase of 4,222 from May 6)
Resolved: 13,569 (increase of 347 from May 6)

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

Port Hope is cancelling or postponing all large-scale events and activities scheduled to take place in the municipality before August 31st.

This includes the Port Hope Canada Day celebration on July 1st, the Port Hope Arts Festival on August 8th, and the Movies in the Park series — four outdoor movie nights in Memorial Park in June, July, and August.

“News of the cancellation of our much-loved summer events and celebrations is most certainly disappointing, as we continue to come to grips with all of the changes to our daily lives as result of this pandemic,” says Port Hope mayor Bob Sanderson.

“While we are hopeful that we will be able to phase in some of our regular activities over the next couple of months, our health officials have indicated that large-scale events, gatherings, and celebrations will not be possible. While disheartening, we will continue to do our part to ensure that the health and wellness of our community is maintained.”

For Canada Day, municipal staff members are planning and developing initiatives and activities that can take place virtually with physical distancing measures intact. More information about these initiatives will be shared once available at porthope.ca/canada-day.

The municipality is also cancelling and postponing all events, activities, and rentals that are scheduled to take place in municipal facilities and on municipal property before August 31st. Residents can check porthope.ca/calendar for the status of events.

“The logistics behind planning and executing special events and celebrations in the community are extraordinary and we felt that we had to make the call early on to aid event organizers in their planning efforts,” explains parks, recreation and culture manager Jim McCormack. “This is certainly not an ideal situation, but we value our community event partners and so we felt that we had to make this decision so that money, time, and resources are not spent planning for events that more than likely can not take place here this summer.”

The municipality says that, if the Ontario government lifts emergency orders and restrictions on group gatherings, some events may be hosted.

Port Hope is continuing to plan its summer camp programs, but registration will only open if the Ontario government lifts emergency orders and restrictions on group gatherings.

Fall events, including the popular Cultivate Festival at Memorial Park in late September, have not yet been cancelled. The municipality will make decisions about these events in mid-summer.

The World Health Organization has designated 2020 as the Year of the Nurse and Midwife in honour of the 200th anniversary of the birth of Florence Nightingale, a British social reformer and statistician and the founder of modern nursing.

In recognition of National Nursing Week, which takes place in 2020 from May 11 to 17 (it always occurs the Monday to Sunday around Florence Nightingale’s birthday on May 12), we are sharing this story submitted by Kristina Nairn about how public health nurses are using phones for case and contact management and medical surveillance during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Phones are an essential tool in the fight against COVID-19. For weeks now, health unit nurses and other staff have worked the phones on days, evenings and weekends.

Initially, it was answering hundreds of your questions/concerns. Recently, our focus has shifted to doing follow-ups and regular check-ins with people and places affected by the coronavirus.

There are two main types of calls that the health unit is currently doing.

The first is case and contact management, a strategy that’s been used for years by public health to trace and track other diseases, including tuberculosis and sexually transmitted infections. What’s new with COVID-19 is the size and scope of our case follow-up, and the ever-changing definitions and directives to follow.

Think of case and contact management as assembling a giant jigsaw puzzle. With accurate up-to-date information, we know who needs to self-isolate, as well as any of their close contacts, to contain the spread and exposure to COVID-19.

This is how it works: health unit staff like me will follow up with people who have tested positive for COVID-19. Over the phone, we discuss their symptoms, how to self-isolate for 14 days, and what extra supports they need to follow the rules, including arranging to have someone get groceries for them while they’re in self-isolation.

Another part of case and contact management is following up with others who were in close contact with the person who has COVID-19. They could be partners and children (or others who live in the same home), friends or neighbours, or co-workers. By tracing these contacts, we can discuss with them any exposure or symptoms they may have, and which precautions they need to take (like self-isolating) to slow the spread of COVID-19.

The other type of call we’re doing is medical surveillance. This involves health unit staff speaking daily by phone with those in self-isolation due to COVID-19 and their close contacts, ensuring they’re staying home and doing alright.

During these daily calls, we’ll check their symptoms/conditions aren’t getting worse and that they continue to have the supports they need. Health unit staff get to know these individuals very well through these daily contacts, which continue until they are cleared from self-isolation.

Our phone conversations aren’t limited to individuals. Health unit staff also work closely with hospitals, long-term care and retirement homes, municipalities, homeless shelters, group homes, and other venues to help with planning and monitoring related to COVID-19. We offer guidance, resources, and support as needed.

Normally as a nurse, I work with vulnerable populations and agencies that support them. Now that I’m doing COVID-19 response, I use that same approach — not just explaining how to self-isolate, but helping identify barriers for people like getting food, paying rent, and dealing with emotional impacts of these changes on their lives and what’s needed to improve their situations.

It’s important for me to help people in whatever way COVID-19 is affecting their lives. Working directly with individuals or community partners is rewarding. Prevention is such a critical tool, and the people I call or work with want to do whatever they can to protect their health and promote the well-being of friends, neighbours, clients and the entire community.

Protection, promotion, prevention: this is public health at its best.

Two people are dead after a collision on Thursday morning (May 7) on Highway 28 between Mt. Julian Viamede Road and Northey’s Bay Road in Woodview, north of Burleigh Falls.

The collision between a tractor trailer and a car occurred at around 9:45 a.m.

The driver and passenger of the car have died as a result of their injuries.

The driver of the tractor trailer has been transported to a local hospital with minor injuries.

The cause of the crash remains under investigation and the identity of the victims will not be released until next of kin are notified.

Highway 28 remains closed between Northey’s Bay Road and Mount Julian-Viamede Road, while police trained in collision reconstruction measure and document the scene. The Highway 28 closure will remain in place for several hours while police investigate.

This stretch of Highway 28 had been the scene of several serious accidents, including fatalities. On March 13, 2019, 69-year-old Carolyn Clement was killed at the scene following a head-on collision.