Peterborough Public Health has declared that the outbreak of COVID-19 on an inpatient unit of Peterborough Regional Health Centre (PRHC) is over.

The outbreak involved three staff members on the inpatient unit who tested positive for COVID-19 and who self-isolated with mild symptoms at home.

These staff members will return to work once they have no symptoms and have tested negative for COVID-19 twice.

There have been no additional positive cases of COVID-19 since the initial three staff cases, and all others on the affected unit have tested negative.

All enhanced pandemic measures continue to be in place at PRHC, with all healthcare workers continuing to use appropriate infection prevention and control measures to prevent the spread of illness in the hospital environment, including frequent hand-cleaning, wearing surgical masks in all public and patient-facing areas, and additional personal protective equipment as required to perform their work.

In other news, PRHC reported on Wednesday (April 22) that one of the two inpatients with COVID-19 in the hospital’s intensive care unit (ICU) has now been transferred out of the ICU to a bed on an inpatient unit.

PRHC has now tested more than 2,000 people for COVID-19 at its assessment centre, and is asking people with new or worsening symptoms of respiratory illness to contact the COVID-19 Assessment Centre directly at 705-876-5086 to determine whether an assessment is necessary.

Less than a week after the Haliburton, Kawartha, Pine Ridge District Health Unit issued a class order requiring anyone known or suspected to have COVID-19 to self-isolate for 14 days, Peterborough Public Health has followed suit.

On Monday (April 20), Peterborough medical officer of health Dr. Rosana Salvaterra signed the class order, made under section 22 of Ontario’s Health Protection and Promotion Act. The order, which went into effect at 12 p.m. on Monday, comes with a penalty of up to $5,000 per day for anyone who fails to self-isolate as required.

Police assistance can be ordered for people who do not willingly comply.

The Peterborough Public Health order applies to anyone who has been diagnosed with COVID-19 or is awaiting test results, anyone who has symptoms of the disease, and anyone who has been in close contact with people in the previous two categories.

Under the order, these people must self-isolate for a minimum of 14 days. Public health officials may extend the period of isolation depending upon symptoms and test results.

Self-isolation means staying at home and not having any visitors. People in self-isolation should arrange to have groceries and other necessities delivered to them.

The order applies to all residents of the City and County of Peterborough. Although Curve Lake and Hiawatha First Nations, which are under the purview of Peterborough Public Health, are not named in the order, Dr. Salvaterra will be working cooperatively with the First Nations governments to include their residents in the order.

COVID-19 Class Order – Peterborough Public Health
Section-22-Order-2020-04-20

There are some exemptions to the order. Close contacts of people diangosed or suspected have having COVID-19, who are asymptomatic and provide an essential service, may continue to provide that essential service. The order also does not restrict a person from receiving essential medical services or treatments, whether or not related to COVID-19.

Other exceptions may be made in special circumstances, such has people who do not have suitable housing to self-isolate or who are fleeing domestic violence. If a person with COVID-19 is homeless, or where their home is otherwise unsuitable or unsafe for isolation purposes, assistance with accommodations will be provided.

The Peterborough Public Health order is in addition to the federal government’s order made under the Quarantine Act, which imposes a 14-day home quarantine on all Canadians returned from out-of-country travel regardless of whether they have symptoms of COVID-19.

More details about the class order are available on the Peterborough Public Health website, where you can also report complaints related to people who are not self-isolating.

For months, frontline workers at Peterborough Regional Health Centre (PRHC) have been mobilizing for the fight against COVID-19, the potentially deadly disease caused by the novel coronavirus.

As the virus circulates in our community and, with COVID-19 patients already being treated in the hospital’s Intensive Care Unit (ICU), PRHC has been busy preparing for a possible surge in the number of patients with COVID-19, particularly those with severe respiratory symptoms.

Lesley Heighway, PRHC Foundation President & CEO says the team at PRHC has already taken key steps to be ready to treat COVID-19 patients.

“I’m very pleased to report that after many weeks of hard work and planning, your hospital is prepared and responding,” says Heighway. “In addition to opening an on-site COVID-19 Assessment Centre, PRHC has decreased hospital occupancy to create additional inpatient space, and converted existing spaces into dedicated areas for patients with respiratory illness.”

“They’ve also increased critical care capacity by adding 27 ICU beds and ramping up critical care staff,” she adds. “And they’re working with partners at a regional and provincial level to ensure access to additional ventilators.”

VIDEO: #InThisTogether

“We’re as ready as we can be right now,” says Dr. Lynn Mikula, the hospital’s Vice-President, Chief Medical Executive, and Chief of Staff. “There is a sense of calm preparedness in the building. We are feeling really ready.”

While frontline workers are prepared for what may come, an urgent need still exists for the technology and supplies required to equip, support, and maintain the extraordinary changes undertaken at PRHC in a short period of time — changes that will help the hospital’s doctors, nurses, and staff save patients’ lives while protecting their own.

That’s where the PRHC Foundation comes in. For more than 40 years, the charitable organization has been working with the community to invest in the state-of-the-art equipment and technology that PRHC’s healthcare professionals must have to deliver the very best patient care.

Heighway says that with the arrival of COVID-19, the ability to quickly anticipate the hospital’s most urgent pandemic-related priorities became paramount. Responding to an urgent request for support from PRHC partners, and a heartfelt outpouring of generosity from the community, the Foundation quickly established a COVID-19 response fund dedicated to that purpose.

“It became very clear right from the beginning of the pandemic that community and regional hospitals were going to play an essential role,” says Heighway. “While our current efforts to fund vital cardiac and cancer care investments, such as the Cath Lab reinvestment and new chemotherapy robotics, remain critical to PRHC’s ongoing efforts, we realized right away that we needed to shift gears to support these new priorities and help them respond to this new reality.”

“Ensuring PRHC’s doctors, nurses and staff have the technology and equipment they need to save lives is what we do,” she adds. “It’s our mission and it’s never been more important than it is right now.”

Heighway says that she and her team have been working closely with colleagues at the hospital to determine exactly what those equipment priorities are, and how the community can help.

“PRHC physician and staff leadership have already identified vital investments needed to equip and sustain their COVID-19 efforts,” says Heighway. “Equipment and supports like additional ventilators, laryngoscopes for emergency intubation, more ICU beds, provisions and wellness supports for staff who must stay at the hospital while treating patients, and more protective equipment and scrubs to help keep them safe.”

For its part, the Foundation will ensure that donated funds go where they are needed most.

“The relief fund is designed to ensure PRHC can respond quickly to the crisis to help save lives, and limit the spread of the infection in our community,” she adds. “Gifts of all sizes matter and are appreciated.”

The ongoing generosity of the community has already helped PRHC to grow into a world-class hospital and, now during the pandemic, it will serve as a regional support centre thanks to the Level 3 ICU that donors have helped to fund.

The most vulnerable and the most acutely ill patients from across the region — including Peterborough and Peterborough County, Lindsay and the City of Kawartha Lakes, Campbellford, Cobourg, Port Hope, all the way north to Haliburton Highlands, and all points in between — will be depending on PRHC, and on the support of donors to PRHC Foundation.

“Donors have already had a significant impact through their past support,” says Heighway. “The vast majority of emergency equipment and technology at our hospital is donor-funded. We’re in a better position to tackle this crisis today because of their generosity.”

Right now, donors have a special opportunity to double the impact of their gifts to the PRHC Foundation’s COVID-19 response fund thanks to a generous matching gift of up to $50,000 from long-time PRHC champions David and Patricia Morton. Well known in the community for their volunteer and philanthropic efforts, David and Patricia believe there’s never been a more important time to support our hospital.

“We want to encourage all who can to donate to support our brave frontline healthcare workers during this COVID-19 crisis,” says Patricia Morton. “Their courage is simply amazing as they risk their own lives to save others.”

“Our hope is that our gift will encourage others, and as a result our collective philanthropy will go twice as far to support the work of PRHC’s dedicated physicians, nurses and staff,” adds David Morton.

If you’ve already made a donation in support of PRHC’s COVID-19 response, thank you. If not, please give today if you can. Thanks to the Mortons, your gift will go twice as far to support the work of PRHC’s frontline healthcare professionals! Visit www.prhcfoundation.ca or call 705-876-5000 today.

This story was created in partnership with the Peterborough Regional Health Centre Foundation.

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

Here’s today summary: there are 59 confirmed positive cases in the Peterborough area, 114 in the City of Kawartha Lakes, 13 in Northumberland County, 7 in Haliburton County, and 34 in Hastings County and Prince Edward County.

That’s an increase of 2 cases from yesterday’s report, with 1 additional case in Peterborough and 1 additional case in Hastings County and Prince Edward County.

There have been 35 deaths, with no increase in deaths from yesterday’s report. The last reported death was in Peterborough on Sunday, April 12th.

Province-wide, there are 11,735 confirmed cases, an increase of 551 from yesterday’s report, and 622 deaths, an increase of 38 from yesterday’s report. A total of 174,170 tests have been completed, an increase of 9,330 from yesterday’s report, with 5,806 cases under investigation.

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: 59 (increase of 1 from April 20)
Confirmed negative: 1,613 (increase of 98 from April 20)
Results pending: 360 (no change from April 20)
Deaths: 1 (no change from April 20)
Resolved: 36 (increase of 5 from April 20)
Total tests completed: 2,032 (increase of 99 from April 20)
Institutional Outbreaks: St. Joseph’s at Fleming*

*Number of cases not reported.

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: 134, including 114 in Kawartha Lakes, 13 in Northumberland, 7 in Haliburton (no change from April 20)
Hospitalizations: 8 (decrease of 1 from April 20)
Deaths: 33, including 29 in Pinecrest Nursing Home in Bobcaygeon (no change from April 20)
Resolved: 97*
Institutional Outbreaks: Pinecrest Nursing Home, Ross Memorial Hospital** (no change from April 20)

*Health unit is now reporting resolved cases.
**Number of cases not reported.

Hastings Prince Edward Public Health

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

Confirmed positive: 34 (increase of 1 from April 20)
Probable cases: 245 (increase of 6 from April 20)
Deaths: 1
Institutional Outbreaks: Hastings Manor (Belleville)*. Outbreak at Hallowell House (Picton) declared over April 20.

*Number of cases not reported.

Province of Ontario

Confirmed positive: 11,735 (increase of 551 from April 20)
Hospitalized: 859 (increase of 57 from April 20)
Hospitalized and in ICU: 250 (increase of 3 from April 20)
Hospitalized and in ICU on ventilator: 194 (increase of 1 from April 20)
Deaths: 622 (increase of 38 from April 20)
Total tests completed 174,170 (increase of 9,330 from April 20)
Tests under investigation: 5,546 (increase of 1,747 from April 20)
Resolved: 5,806 (increase of 291 from April 20)

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

Everyone knows workers on the front lines of the COVID-19 pandemic are heroes, but kawarthaNOW also wants to give a quick shout-out to those unsung heroes: volunteers in communities across the Kawarthas who are humbly working to make life better for their fellow residents.

Two of these unsung heroes are Rolf Joss and Ken Pierce of Feed The Need Havelock.

Over the past few weeks, Rolf and Ken have been cooking more than 65 free meals every weekend for people in need. With the help of other volunteers, they identify those who need the meals and deliver them to homes in Havelock, Norwood, and Campbellford.

VIDEO: Ken Pierce and Rolf Joss of Feed The Need Havelock

Rolf and Ken aren’t looking for recognition for their efforts. kawarthaNOW only found out about what the two men are doing when we received an email from volunteer Yvonne Prouty, one of several people helping with the effort. Others include Orllyn Loney, Don Radnor, Ruth Anne Radnor, and more, as well as those who are donating funds and more to the cause.

The Havelock Lions Club and Norwood Pentecostal Church have also made their facilities available to Rolf and Ken for meal preparation.

“Feeding the need is not all about food,”, Ken says in a Facebook video, while the two men were preparing mac and cheese at Havelock Lions Club on Good Friday.

“There’s all kinds of needs out there — everyone has a need,” he says. “Pick up the phone, call a friend, call family, do whatever you can do. Everybody can do something … whether you’re cooking, whether you’re delivering, whether you’re taking medicine, there’s lots of need out there.”

“Just do something nice for somebody that you wouldn’t normally do it for,” Rolf adds — a perfect message for National Volunteer Week.

If you want to donate or volunteer for Feed The Need Havelock, or if you know someone in the Havelock area who needs a meal, email feedtheneedhavelock@gmail.com.

Wednesday (April 22) marks the 50th anniversary of Earth Day, and this week is also National Volunteer Week.

We have a lot to reflect upon and many people to recognize during this global pandemic and the ongoing climate emergency.

At the end of this article I share some recommendations about how to celebrate Earth Day during COVID-19, but I want to begin by recognizing the importance of volunteers during this time of crisis.

It’s time to applaud Canada’s volunteers

“Volunteers work year-round to address critical social, economic, and environmental issues and the generosity is only amplified during floods, forest fires, and public health emergencies,” says Paula Speevak, president and CEO of Volunteer Canada.

“This year, we want to shine the spotlight on those volunteering to support essential services during this public health crisis, and to salute those who help by staying home to protect themselves and their communities.”

Every year approximately 12.7 million volunteers contribute over $55 billion per year to the Canadian economy, according to Volunteer Canada. In Peterborough, volunteers are helping fight COVID-19 by sewing thousands of masks and organizing food drives.

For example, a little over a month ago the shelves at Kawartha Food Share started to look empty. Approximately 9,000 community members depend on Kawartha Food Share and would be unable to stay healthy and stay home during COVID-19 without that support.

To address that urgent need, Megan Murphy led more than one hundred volunteers who gathered more than 22,000 pounds of donated food as part of the “Spare a Square” porch food drive. On behalf of everyone at GreenUP, thank you for your remarkable work making the fight against COVID-19 sustainable for some of our most vulnerable community members.

If you are in a position to help, please consider donating to Kawartha Food Share at kawarthafoodshare.com or helping with the donation requests listed on the Peterborough Regional Health Centre website at prhc.on.ca.

To celebrate National Volunteer Week, everyone at GreenUP would also like to recognize the amazing volunteers who contributed to the remarkable success of our programs and projects in 2019.

“Volunteers give our community roots,” says Heather Ray, manager of water programs at GreenUP. “In 2019 the Sustainable Urban Neighbourhood program planted over 1,200 square metres of gardens. Volunteers made that possible by getting dirty, digging, planting, watering, documenting, and most importantly smiling together. It is not merely the gardens that grow, but also the shared knowledge that is exchanged between volunteers, staff, local businesses, and additional community members.”

“I am so grateful for the amazing volunteer efforts of teachers, school administrators, parents, and student leaders who support Active School Travel PTBO,” adds Lindsay Stroud, Manager of Transportation and Urban Design at GreenUP. “Without these volunteers our active school travel programs could not have engaged over 7,000 participants in 2019.”

“GreenUP Ecology Park was built by the strong support of volunteers from our community,” observes Vern Bastable, manager of Ecology Park. “During my years at Ecology Park we have had a number of spectacular volunteers. I also want to express special appreciation for the GreenUP staff, and their families and friends, who volunteer so much of their time to Ecology Park. The place is magical, but it is the people who make it sparkle.”

Dedicated volunteers, board members, committee members, and advocates have helped GreenUP accomplish so much over the years. This week and every week, we thank you.

How you can safely celebrate Earth Day this year

During COVID-19, GreenUP is encouraging everyone to celebrate volunteers and the 50th anniversary of Earth Day by following the instructions of Peterborough Public Health. Stay home as much as you can. Practice physical distancing. Wash your hands properly. If you must go out, wear a mask.

I am sad to say that these measures mean there are no Earth Day community clean-up events, but learning how to live in more healthy and sustainable ways is not cancelled. In fact, some sustainability tips and tricks can be quite helpful during COVID-19.

To celebrate Earth Day during COVID-19, GreenUP encourages two things. First, if you are in a position to help essential workers, healthcare workers, and the more vulnerable individuals in our community during COVID-19, please do so. The more we all work together to get through this, the more sustainable our collective efforts will be.

Second, consider celebrating Earth Day everyday by reflecting on your own personal choices and these four categories of waste reduction as you spend more time at home.

1. Consider choices that support a circular economy (re-using) instead of a linear economy (single-use only)

This may seem tricky during COVID-19. For example, we need to respect that many grocery stores are prohibiting re-usable grocery bags and re-fillable containers in order to protect front-line workers and other shoppers from the spread of COVID-19.

Instead, during COVID-19 look for ways to shift away from ownership and towards access. For example, instead of thinking of Amazon as your go-to for purchases and deliveries, consider alternatives like accessing e-books and streaming services through the Peterborough Public Library.

Also, try to re-use plastics and, before recycling them, ensure they are clean and properly sorted according to local requirements. You can learn more at plasticactioncentre.ca.

2. Try some sustainable approaches to maintaining your wardrobe and textiles

If you want to repurpose fabrics in your stash, Madderhouse Textiles Studios, in partnership with the New Canadian Centre and Repair Cafe Peterborough, is accepting fabric donations so that local volunteers can sew caps and masks. For more information, visit madderhouse.com/volunteer.

Textiles Tuesday is a Waste Reduction Week in Canada awareness initiative that encourages repairing, repurposing, and donating clothing. For more information, including textile resources, visit wrwcanada.com. Editor’s note: Hold on to any textiles you want to donate, as charities are not accepting donations during the COVID-19 pandemic.

3. Reduce electronic waste

Many of us are relying on electronic devices to work or learn from home during COVID-19.

If you need something, reach out to reBOOT Canada for a repair or a refurbished product before considering a new product.

For a list of available products, visit rebootcanada.ca/shop/.

4. Reduce food waste

Many people are now cooking more at home and reducing shopping trip frequency.

Read our recent article about grocery planning during COVID-19 for tips and tricks that save food and save money.

We are already facing many challenges because of COVID-19. This year it may not be healthy for you to feel pressured to rise to multiple challenges for Earth Day. Instead, let’s work together to find solutions and make life at home during this difficult time more sustainable for us and for the environment.

If you are looking for more tips and ideas, or have some of your own to share, please find us @PtboGreenUP on social media.

Environment Canada has issued a special weather statement for the entire Kawarthas region for strong and gusty winds on Tuesday afternoon and evening (April 21).

In the wake of a sharp Arctic cold front that blasted across the region in the morning, west winds with frequent gusts of 70 km/h will occur on Tuesday.

A few gusts to 80 km/h are possible on Tuesday afternoon. These winds are strong enough to cause isolated power outages.

Temperatures will drop to zero on Tuesday afternoon and fall to -3°C with a wind chill of -10°C overnight.

There’s also a 60 per cent chance of flurries on Tuesday afternoon and evening.

Winds will slowly diminish on Tuesday evening.