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Ontario reports 1,265 new COVID-19 cases, including 24 in greater Kawarthas region

By kawarthaNOW -

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

Today, Ontario is reporting 1,265 new cases, including 45 more cases of the B.1.1.7 UK variant and no new cases the B.1.351 South Africa variant. The seven-day average of daily cases has decreased by 101 to 1,327.

In the greater Kawarthas region, there are 24 new cases to report and 14 additional cases resolved, with the number of active cases across the region increasing by 10 to 113. Almost all of the new cases in the region are in Kawartha Lakes and Northumberland.

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Most of today’s new cases in Ontario are in Toronto (421), Peel (256), and York (130).

There are double-digit increases in Durham (61), Ottawa (50), Simcoe Muskoka (43), Windsor-Essex (40), Waterloo (39), Middlesex-London (36), Hamilton (33), Halton (33), Niagara (28), Wellington-Dufferin-Guelph (22), and Brant (11), with smaller increases in Haliburton, Kawartha, Pine Ridge (9), Chatham-Kent (9), Thunder Bay (8), and Southwestern (8).

The remaining 16 health units are reporting 5 or fewer new cases, with 5 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 (457) among people ages 20-39, followed by 348 cases among people ages 40-59.

With 1,700 more cases resolved since yesterday, the percentage of resolved cases has increased by 0.2% to 92.5%. The average positivity rate across Ontario has increased by 1.6% to 4.4%, meaning that 44 out of every 1,000 tests performed were positive for COVID-19 on February 7.

Ontario is reporting 33 new COVID-19 deaths today, including 8 in long-term care homes. Ontario has averaged 45 new daily deaths over the past week.

Hospitalizations have decreased by 25 from yesterday to 901, but this number does include data from more than 10% of hospitals, so the number of hospitalized patients may be higher. The number of patients with COVID-19 in ICUs remains unchanged from yesterday at 335 and the number of patients with COVID-19 on ventilators has decreased by 7 to 226.

A total of 28,303 tests were completed yesterday, with the backlog of tests under investigation decreasing by 5,846 to 10,693.

A total of 386,171 doses of vaccine have now been administered, an increase of 6,987 from yesterday, with 106,163 people fully vaccinated with both doses of vaccine, an increase of 4,419 from yesterday.

There are 3 new cases in Ontario schools, an increase of 1 from February 5, including 3 student cases. There are 12 new cases in licensed child care settings in Ontario, a decrease of 10 from February 5, with 3 cases among children and 9 cases among staff.

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In the greater Kawarthas region, there are 24 new cases to report, including 13 in Northumberland, 10 in Kawartha Lakes, and 1 in Hastings Prince Edward. There are no new cases in Peterborough or Haliburton.

New outbreaks were declared on February 6 at Pinecrest Nursing Home in Bobcaygeon (1 staff case) and Cobourg Police (3 cases among special constables).

An additional 14 cases have been resolved, including 9 in Kawartha Lakes, 4 in Peterborough, and 1 in Northumberland. The outbreak at Caressant Care Mary Street retirement home in Lindsay has been declared resolved.

There are currently 113 active cases in the greater Kawarthas region, an increase of 10 from yesterday, including 60 in Kawartha Lakes, 27 in Northumberland, 18 in Peterborough, 6 in Hastings Prince Edward (2 in Quinte West and 4 in Belleville), and 2 in Haliburton.

Hastings Prince Edward is one of three health units in Ontario in which the stay-at-home order will be lifted as of Wednesday (February 10). The health unit will be moved into the least restrictive “Green-Prevent” level under the province’s COVID-19 response framework, which was in effect prior to the province-wide shutdown on Boxing Day.

The stay-at-home order for the other two health units in the region (Peterborough Public Health and Haliburton, Kawartha, Pine Ridge District Health Unit) will remain in effect until Tuesday, February 16th, at which time the Ontario government will announce which health units will move back into the COVID-19 response framework and at what level.

Since the pandemic began in the greater Kawarthas region, there have been 559 confirmed positive cases in the Peterborough area (532 resolved with 9 deaths), 491 in the City of Kawartha Lakes (398 resolved with 46 deaths), 394 in Northumberland County (358 resolved with 9 deaths), 50 in Haliburton County (48 resolved with no deaths), and 372 in Hastings and Prince Edward counties (361 resolved with 5 deaths). The most recent death was reported in Kawartha Lakes on February 4.

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

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Peterborough Public Health

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

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

Confirmed positive: 559 (no change)
Active cases: 18 (decrease of 4)
Close contacts: 61 (increase of 5)
Deaths: 9 (no change)
Resolved: 532 (increase of 4)
Hospitalizations (total to date): 24 (no change)*
Total tests completed: Over 42,050 (increase of 50)
Outbreaks: Peterborough Regional Health Centre, Peterborough Retirement Residence (no change)

*As of February 8, Peterborough Regional Health Centre is reporting 4 patients hospitalized with COVID-19 (no change from February 5) and 14 patients transferred from other areas as a result of a provincial directive (no change from February 5).

 

Haliburton, Kawartha, Pine Ridge District Health Unit

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

The health unit provides reports from Monday to Saturday, excluding Sundays and statutory holidays. These numbers are for February 7 and 8.

Confirmed positive: 935, including 491 in Kawartha Lakes, 394 in Northumberland, and 50 in Haliburton (increase of 23, including 10 in Kawartha Lakes and 13 in Northumberland)*
Active cases: 89, including 60 in Kawartha Lakes, 27 in Northumberland, and 2 in Haliburton (net increase of 13)
Probable cases: 3, including 2 in Northumberland and 1 in Kawartha Lakes (increase of 2 in Northumberland)
High-risk contacts: 131, including 78 in Kawartha Lakes, 32 in Northumberland, and 7 in Haliburton (net decrease of 10)**
Hospitalizations (total to date): 35, including 25 in Kawartha Lakes, 8 in Northumberland, and 2 in Haliburton (no change)***
Deaths (including among probable cases): 55, including 46 in Kawartha Lakes and 9 in Northumberland (no change)
Resolved: 804, including 398 in Kawartha Lakes, 358 in Northumberland, 48 in Haliburton (increase of 10, including 9 in Kawartha Lakes and 1 in Northumberland)
Tests completed: 129,081 (increase of 511)
Institutional outbreaks: Hope St. Terrace long-term care home in Port Hope, Caressant Care McLaughlin Road long-term care home in Lindsay, Warkworth Place long-term care home in Warkworth, Central East Correctional Centre in Lindsay (two outbreaks), Regency long-term care home in Port Hope, Hyland Crest long-term care home in Minden, Extendicare Cobourg long-term care home, Extendicare Cobourg Landmark retirement home, Pinecrest Nursing Home in Bobcaygeon, Cobourg Police (net increase 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 14 high-risk contacts directly followed up through the Public Health Ontario contact tracing process that are missing the contacts’ county.

***As of February 8, Ross Memorial Hospital in Lindsay reports 1 patient hospitalized with COVID-19.

****The outbreak at Caressant Care Mary Street retirement home in Lindsay has been declared resolved. New outbreaks at Pinecrest Nursing Home in Bobcaygeon (1 staff case) and Cobourg Police (3 cases among special constables) were declared on February 6.

 

Hastings Prince Edward Public Health

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

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

Confirmed positive: 372 (increase of 1)
Active cases: 6 (increase of 1)
Deaths: 5 (no change)
Currently hospitalized: 0 (no change)
Currently hospitalized and in ICU: 0 (no change)
Currently hospitalized and in ICU on ventilator (total to date): 0 (no change)
Resolved: 361 (no change)
Tests completed: 50,892 (increase of 216)
Vaccines administered: 1,096 (no change)
Institutional outbreaks: Trent Valley Lodge long-term care home in Trenton (no change)

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Province of Ontario

Confirmed positive: 279,472 (increase of 1,265)
7-day average of new cases: 1,327 (decrease of 101)
Resolved: 258,603 (increase of 1,700, 92.5% of all cases)
Positivity rate: 4.4% (increase of 1.6%)
Hospitalized: 901 (decrease of 25)*
Hospitalized and in ICU: 335 (no change)
Hospitalized and in ICU on ventilator: 226 (decrease of 7)
Deaths: 6,538 (increase of 33)
Deaths of residents in long-term care homes: 3,740 (increase of 8)
Total tests completed: 10,054,325 (increase of 28,303)
Tests under investigation: 10,693 (decrease of 5,846)
Vaccination doses administered: 386,171 (increase of 6,987)
People fully vaccinated (two doses): 106,163 (increase of 4,419)
Total COVID-19 variant cases: 219 of B.1.1.7 UK variant (increase of 45); 1 of B.1.351 South Africa variant (no change)

*More than 10% of hospitals did not submit data for this report, so the number of hospitalized patients may be higher.

COVID-19 cases in Ontario from January 8 - February 7, 2021. The red line is the number of new cases reported daily, and the dotted green line is a five-day moving average of new cases. (Graphic: kawarthaNOW.com)
COVID-19 cases in Ontario from January 8 – February 7, 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 January 8 - February 7, 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 tests completed in Ontario from January 8 – February 7, 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 January 8 - February 7, 2021. The red line is the daily number of COVID-19 hospitalizations, the dotted green line is a five-day moving average of hospitalizations, the purple line is the daily number of patients with COVID-19 in ICUs, and the dotted orange line is a five-day moving average of is a five-day moving average of patients with COVID-19 in ICUs. (Graphic: kawarthaNOW.com)
COVID-19 hospitalizations and ICU admissions in Ontario from January 8 – February 7, 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 January 8 - February 7, 2021. The red line is the cumulative number of daily deaths, and the dotted green line is a five-day moving average of daily deaths. (Graphic: kawarthaNOW.com)
COVID-19 deaths in Ontario from January 8 – February 7, 2021. The red line is the cumulative number of daily deaths, and the dotted green line is a five-day moving average of daily deaths. (Graphic: kawarthaNOW.com)
COVID-19 vaccine doses administered in Ontario from January 8 - February 7, 2021. The red line is the cumulative number of daily doses administered, and the dotted green line is a five-day moving average of daily doses. (Graphic: kawarthaNOW.com)
COVID-19 vaccine doses administered in Ontario from January 8 – February 7, 2021. The red line is the cumulative number of daily doses administered, and the dotted green line is a five-day moving average of daily doses. (Graphic: kawarthaNOW.com)

 

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

Ontario’s COVID-19 stay-at-home order extended for another week except in three public health units

By kawarthaNOW -
health minister Christine Elliott, and chief medical officer of health Dr. David Williams. (CPAC screenshot)

The Ontario government is extending its stay-at-home order for another week for all public health regions in Ontario, except for three in eastern Ontario. As other health units gradually move back into the previous colour-coded COVID-19 response framework, the province will implement a new “emergency brake” system to respond to outbreaks of more contagious COVID-19 variants.

Ontario Premier Doug Ford made the announcement at a media briefing at Queen’s Park on Monday (February 8).

“We’re not clear of this storm yet,” Ford said. “Hospital ICUs in some parts of the province are still under immense pressure. We’re getting hit with new variants of COVID-19, and there are significant delays in getting our vaccine supply. This is a critical time.”

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“We can find a way forward, but we need a plan that continues to protect the health and safety of each and every person in this province, while ensuring more businesses can safely reopen and getting more people back to work,” Ford added.

As of 12:01 a.m. on Wednesday (February 10), the stay-at-home order will end for the following three public health unit regions, which will move back into the “Green-Prevent” level of the province’s COVID-19 response framework that was in effect prior to the province-wide shutdown implemented on Boxing Day:

  • Hastings Prince Edward Public Health
  • Kingston, Frontenac and Lennox & Addington Public Health, and
  • Renfrew County and District Health Unit.

For the rest of Ontario’s public health unit regions, the stay-at-home order (which has been in effect since January 14) will remain in place until next Tuesday (February 16) — except for Toronto, Peel, and York, where it will remain in place until Monday, February 22nd.

At those times, the government will make final decisions on which public health unit regions will move back into the COVID-19 response framework, and at what level, based on public health indicators.

Ford also announced Ontario will not be extending the province’s second state of emergency, declared on January 12, past Tuesday (February 9).

“We can’t return to normal, not yet, not while our hospitals could still be overwhelmed,” Ford added. “But we can transition out of the province-wide shutdown. Today I’m announcing the declaration of emergency will not be extended past February 9th.”

Enforcement of residential evictions will remain paused in the public health unit regions where the provincial stay-at-home order remains in effect.

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Because of ongoing concerns about the risk of more contagious COVID-19 variants, the province is also implementing a new “emergency brake” system when public health unit regions move back into the COVID-19 response framework.

The “emergency brake” system will allow for immediate action if a public health unit region experiences rapid acceleration in COVID-19 transmission or if its health care system risks becoming overwhelmed. If this occurs, Ontario’s chief medical of health and the local medical officer of health may advise to immediately move a region into Grey-Lockdown status to interrupt transmission.

In advance of public health regions moving back into the colour-coded COVID-19 response framework, the government is also making some changes to the framework to allow for in-store shopping at non-essential retail stores even in the most restrictive levels, with additional public health and safety measures in place.

For example, for the Grey-Lockdown level, there will be a 25 per cent capacity limit on retail stores (including big box stores). This is in addition to the existing 50 per cent capacity limit for supermarkets and other stores that primarily sell groceries, convenience stores, and pharmacies.

For the Red-Control level, there will be a 75 per cent capacity for supermarkets and other stores that primarily sell groceries, convenience stores, and pharmacies, and a 50 per cent capacity limit for all other retail businesses that engage in retail sales to the public, including big box stores.

Sam’s Place Deli in Peterborough finds a new way to connect with customers during the pandemic

By Hannah Abrahamse -
Every day, Sam's Place Deli owner Sam Sayer announces a special sandwich of the day on their social media platforms. Every "samwich" is freshly made to order. Sam's Place also serves soups, salads, and desserts which are also prepared fresh daily. (Photo courtesy of Sam's Place)

At the onset of the coronavirus pandemic, Sam Sayer — owner of the popular Sam’s Place Deli in downtown Peterborough — began sharing candid video messages on the restaurant’s social media accounts.

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

The videos are honest and moving — they provide a direct look into how Sayer, as a local restaurant owner, has managed throughout the pandemic’s challenges.

The pandemic has placed many hurdles for local restaurants like Sam’s Place. The current provincial lockdown measures have closed their doors to sit-down dining.

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“Just a reminder to people how much hard work and manual labour go into food, particularly in small business,” Sayer says in a video she posted back in August.

“I hope everybody’s doing well and that covid hasn’t got you down too far. I feel like I’m going through waves. There’ve been so many serious decisions that were not easy to come by — financial issues. We’re all there.”

As for why Sayer started posting these videos, she tells kawarthaNOW it was for her own mental health.

“I’m the kind of person who likes to yammer on a lot,” she explains. “I lost all of my staff except for one through the first lockdown. I was so used to having somebody to talk to in the mornings that I found myself getting lost in my own head without that.”

“I thought the opportunity to tell somebody the things I was feeling would make me feel a bit better and a bit saner.”

Sayer is continuing to post videos like these on the restaurant’s Facebook and Instagram.

Sam's Place is currently operating on a limited staff of four, including owner Sam Sayer herself (left). Staff are masked and wash their hands and surfaces constantly. (Photo courtesy of Sam's Place)
Sam’s Place is currently operating on a limited staff of four, including owner Sam Sayer herself (left). Staff are masked and wash their hands and surfaces constantly. (Photo courtesy of Sam’s Place)

According to Sayer, although business is currently the slowest she’s seen in a decade, she is grateful for the style of restaurant she has.

“Being a sandwich shop, it was pretty easy to adapt to takeout only because a lot of our business was already takeout,” Sayer pointed out.

Nevertheless, Sam’s Place has made some pivots to adapt to COVID-19, including repurposing a takeout window that staff now use to serve customers safely.

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When she and her former business partner Dan Fitchko opened Sam’s Place in 2010, they had installed a window to serve late-night customers — there was a clause in their lease stating their doors could not be open past 10 p.m.

Now, that window is now their primary way of serving customers throughout the pandemic.

“We quickly realized we were too tired and couldn’t do it,” says Sayer. “The window really paid off in the end. It just took 10 years.”

Sam's Place's repurposed its takeout window, originally installed before the pandemic to serve customers after 10 p.m., to become a safe, contactless was to serve customers during the pandemic. (Photo courtesy of Sam's Place)
Sam’s Place’s repurposed its takeout window, originally installed before the pandemic to serve customers after 10 p.m., to become a safe, contactless was to serve customers during the pandemic. (Photo courtesy of Sam’s Place)

To purchase takeout from Sam’s Place, customers can place an order online with a credit card through their website at www.samsplace.ca or by phoning 705-876-1900. When you arrive at the restaurant, you walk up to the takeout window, tell the staff member your name, and they will give you your order.

There is also an option to order online or by phone and pay on arrival for those who want to pay with cash, debit, or gift card.

If you cannot order ahead, you can still place an order in-store or at the window. Anyone who chooses to enter the building is required to wear a mask. There is hand sanitizer at every entrance, including the window.

All bread and meat served at Sam's Place Deli are locally sourced from Peterborough and surrounding areas. Meat is in-house cured, smoked, and prepared. (Photo courtesy of Sam's Place)
All bread and meat served at Sam’s Place Deli are locally sourced from Peterborough and surrounding areas. Meat is in-house cured, smoked, and prepared. (Photo courtesy of Sam’s Place)

All bread and meat at Sam’s Place is locally sourced from Peterborough and the surrounding area so, by supporting Sam’s Place, you’re also supporting local farmers, bakers, and growers.

“It’s always important to support local because, without your local economy, you don’t have much of an economy,” Sayer notes. “This is the mentality I always have, not just for covid.”

Sam’s Place also gives back to the community by supporting charitable organizations. Sayer says this is something she typically likes to keep private because she doesn’t believe the donations should be about herself.

However, when her 16-year old nephew Wyatt’s cancer returned, she decided to use her platform for the first time ever to raise money for him and his family.

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For a week in January, 100 per cent of the proceeds raised from a featured sandwich called “The Wyatt” were given to the family.

“Not only is he dealing with cancer, but he’s dealing with cancer in the middle of a pandemic,” Sayer explains. “His parents can’t be together with him in the hospital. It’s just one or the other.”

Sayer continues to encourage the public to donate money to help Wyatt’s family get through this tough time. You can donate through Wyatt’s GoFundeMe page.

Sam Sayer opened Sam's Place in 2010 with her former business partner Dan Fitchko. In 2014, Sayer became the sole owner and, in March 2019, the restaurant underwent a small renovation and rebranding with a new logo and tagline - 'The Best Samwiches in Town'. (Photo courtesy of Sam's Place)
Sam Sayer opened Sam’s Place in 2010 with her former business partner Dan Fitchko. In 2014, Sayer became the sole owner and, in March 2019, the restaurant underwent a small renovation and rebranding with a new logo and tagline – ‘The Best Samwiches in Town’. (Photo courtesy of Sam’s Place)

Sam’s Place is in the process of another significant change: Sayer is expecting a child in April and wants to take a step back to focus on being a new mother.

She is currently in the process of hiring a manager to replace her in the restaurant.

“I’ll be around,” Sayer assures customers. “I just want to be able to have the baby and not have to be there at the same time.”

“It’s been hard trying to hire people in the middle of the pandemic,” she adds. “I only posted the job application on social media. My restaurant is so important to me, so letting go to have somebody else run it is really difficult. The type of person I want to hire is already familiar with what I do and who I am.”

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In the meantime, Sayer encourages the community to complete the City of Peterborough’s survey at connectptbo.ca/downtown, which asks residents what they thought of the temporary changes made to sidewalks and roads in downtown Peterborough last summer and early fall. The results will help to inform decisions for this summer, should similar changes be necessary due to the pandemic. The survey is available until February 15th.

Sayer also wants to remind people to continue to tip industry workers during the pandemic — and to be kind to one another.

“I think it’s important always to support the businesses that you appreciate, patronize, or generally have a love for,” Sayer notes. “Whether there’s a lockdown or not, it’s important to show your support by sharing social media posts and telling people via word-of-mouth what’s so great about them.”

Sam's Place also takes catering orders, which can be delivered. Catering orders can be placed within a minimum of 24 hours. (Photo courtesy of Sam's Place).
Sam’s Place also takes catering orders, which can be delivered. Catering orders can be placed within a minimum of 24 hours. (Photo courtesy of Sam’s Place).

Sam’s Place is located at 188 Hunter Street West in downtown Peterborough, and is open Monday to Friday from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. For more information, including the menu, and to order online, visit www.samsplace.ca.

You can also follow Sam’s Place on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter.

With 1,489 new COVID-19 cases, province expected to announce loosened restrictions on Monday

By kawarthaNOW -
Ontario premier Doug Ford, after visiting a COVID-19 testing facility for arriving passengers at Toronto Pearson International Airport, commented that an announcement is expected on February 8, 2021 on the easing of public health restrictions in the province, except in "hot zones". (CPAC screenshot)

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

On the eve of an expected government announcement loosening restrictions for some regions of the province, Ontario is reporting 1,489 new cases today.

“We’ll have an announcement, probably on Monday,” Ford said following a media conference last Wednesday (February 3). “Our goal is to open up the economy safely. I know a couple of hot zones might be a week later.”

The 1,489 new cases include 10 more cases of the B.1.1.7 UK variant and no new cases the B.1.351 South Africa variant. The seven-day average of daily cases has decreased by 51 to 1,428.

In the greater Kawarthas region, there 1 new case to report and 4 additional cases resolved, with the number of active cases across the region decreasing by 3 to 103. However, these numbers exclude updates from Kawartha Lakes, Northumberland, and Haliburton as the health unit does not provide reports on Sundays.

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Most of today’s new cases are in Toronto (517), Peel (261), and York (121).

There are double-digit increases in Hamilton (88), Halton (61), Ottawa (57), Waterloo (54), Durham (50), Simcoe Muskoka (43), Niagara (35), Middlesex-London (27), Thunder Bay (25), Brant (21), Windsor-Essex (20), Wellington-Dufferin-Guelph (18), Chatham-Kent (17), Lambton (14), Southwestern (12), and Sudbury (10), with a smaller increase in Northwestern (9).

The remaining 14 health units are reporting 5 or fewer new cases, with 2 health units reporting no new cases at all.

Of today’s new cases, 52% are among people 39 and younger, with the highest number of cases (561) among people ages 20-39, followed by 451 cases among people ages 40-59 and 218 cases among people 19 and younger.

With 1,937 more cases resolved since yesterday, the percentage of resolved cases has increased by 0.2% to 92.3%. The average positivity rate across Ontario has increased by 0.2% to 2.8%, meaning that 28 out of every 1,000 tests performed were positive for COVID-19 on February 6.

Ontario is reporting 22 new COVID-19 deaths today, including 13 in long-term care homes. Ontario has averaged 45 new daily deaths over the past week.

Hospitalizations have decreased by 95 from yesterday to 926, but this number does include data from more than 10% of hospitals, so the number of hospitalized patients may be higher. The number of patients with COVID-19 in ICUs has increased by 10 to 335 and the number of patients with COVID-19 on ventilators has increased by 5 to 233.

A total of 51,658 tests were completed yesterday, pushing the number of tests completed in Ontario since the pandemic began to over 10 million. The backlog of tests under investigation has decreased by 25,022 to 16,539.

A total of 379,184 doses of vaccine have now been administered, an increase of 6,518 from yesterday, with 101,744 people fully vaccinated with both doses of vaccine, an increase of 5,171 from yesterday.

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In the greater Kawarthas region, there 1 one new case to report, in Hastings Prince Edward. There are no new cases in Peterborough. Reports are unavailable on Sundays for Kawartha Lakes, Northumberland, and Haliburton; updated numbers will be provided on February 8.

An additional 4 cases have been resolved, in Peterborough.

There are currently 103 active cases in the greater Kawarthas region, a decrease of 3 from yesterday, including 59 in Kawartha Lakes, 22 in Peterborough, 15 in Northumberland, 5 in Hastings Prince Edward (2 in Quinte West and 3 in Belleville) and 2 in Haliburton.

Since the pandemic began in the greater Kawarthas region, there have been 559 confirmed positive cases in the Peterborough area (528 resolved with 9 deaths), 481 in the City of Kawartha Lakes (389 resolved with 46 deaths), 381 in Northumberland County (357 resolved with 9 deaths), 50 in Haliburton County (48 resolved with no deaths), and 371 in Hastings and Prince Edward counties (361 resolved with 5 deaths). The most recent death was reported in Kawartha Lakes on February 4.

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

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Peterborough Public Health

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

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

Confirmed positive: 559 (no change)
Active cases: 22 (decrease of 4)
Close contacts: 56 (decrease of 4)
Deaths: 9 (no change)
Resolved: 528 (increase of 4)
Hospitalizations (total to date): 24 (no change)*
Total tests completed: Over 42,000 (increase of 50)
Outbreaks: Peterborough Regional Health Centre, Peterborough Retirement Residence (no change)

*As of February 5, Peterborough Regional Health Centre is reporting 4 patients hospitalized with COVID-19 and 14 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 Sundays and statutory holidays. These numbers are from February 6.

Confirmed positive: 912, including 481 in Kawartha Lakes, 381 in Northumberland, and 50 in Haliburton (increase of 5, including 4 in Kawartha Lakes and 1 in Northumberland)*
Active cases: 76, including 59 in Kawartha Lakes, 15 in Northumberland, and 2 in Haliburton (decrease of 1 in Northumberland)
Probable cases: 1 in Kawartha Lakes (no change)
High-risk contacts: 141, including 84 in Kawartha Lakes, 35 in Northumberland, and 13 in Haliburton (net increase of 13)**
Hospitalizations (total to date): 35, including 25 in Kawartha Lakes, 8 in Northumberland, and 2 in Haliburton (no change)***
Deaths (including among probable cases): 55, including 46 in Kawartha Lakes and 9 in Northumberland (no change)
Resolved: 794, including 389 in Kawartha Lakes, 357 in Northumberland, 48 in Haliburton (increase of 6, including 4 in Kawartha Lakes and 2 in Northumberland)
Tests completed: 128,570 (increase of 572)
Institutional outbreaks: Hope St. Terrace long-term care home in Port Hope, Caressant Care McLaughlin Road long-term care home in Lindsay, Warkworth Place long-term care home in Warkworth, Caressant Care Mary Street retirement home in Lindsay, Central East Correctional Centre in Lindsay (two outbreaks), Regency long-term care home in Port Hope, Hyland Crest long-term care home in Minden, Extendicare Cobourg long-term care home, Extendicare Cobourg Landmark retirement home (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 9 high-risk contacts directly followed up through the Public Health Ontario contact tracing process that are missing the contacts’ county.

***As of February 5, Ross Memorial Hospital in Lindsay reports 1 patient hospitalized with COVID-19.

****The outbreak at Golden Plough Lodge in Cobourg was declared resolved on February 5.

 

Hastings Prince Edward Public Health

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

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

Confirmed positive: 371 (increase of 1)
Active cases: 5 (increase of 1)
Deaths: 5 (no change)
Currently hospitalized: 0 (no change)
Currently hospitalized and in ICU: 0 (no change)
Currently hospitalized and in ICU on ventilator (total to date): 0 (no change)
Resolved: 361 (no change)
Tests completed: 50,676 (increase of 4,012)
Vaccines administered: 1,096 (no change)
Institutional outbreaks: Trent Valley Lodge long-term care home in Trenton (no change)

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Province of Ontario

Confirmed positive: 278,207 (increase of 1,489)
7-day average of new cases: 1,428 (decrease of 51)
Resolved: 256,903 (increase of 1,937, 92.3% of all cases)
Positivity rate: 2.8% (increase of 0.2%)
Hospitalized: 926 (decrease of 95)*
Hospitalized and in ICU: 335 (increase of 10)
Hospitalized and in ICU on ventilator: 233 (increase of 5)
Deaths: 6,505 (increase of 22)
Deaths of residents in long-term care homes: 3,732 (increase of 13)
Total tests completed: 10,026,022 (increase of 51,658)
Tests under investigation: 16,539 (decrease of 25,022)
Vaccination doses administered: 379,184 (increase of 6,518)
People fully vaccinated (two doses): 101,744 (increase of 5,171)
Total COVID-19 variant cases: 174 of B.1.1.7 UK variant (increase of 10); 1 of B.1.351 South Africa variant (no change)

*More than 10% of hospitals did not submit data for this report, so the number of hospitalized patients may be higher.

COVID-19 cases in Ontario from January 7 - February 6, 2021. The red line is the number of new cases reported daily, and the dotted green line is a five-day moving average of new cases. (Graphic: kawarthaNOW.com)
COVID-19 cases in Ontario from January 7 – February 6, 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 January 7 - February 6, 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 tests completed in Ontario from January 7 – February 6, 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 January 7 - February 6, 2021. The red line is the daily number of COVID-19 hospitalizations, the dotted green line is a five-day moving average of hospitalizations, the purple line is the daily number of patients with COVID-19 in ICUs, and the dotted orange line is a five-day moving average of is a five-day moving average of patients with COVID-19 in ICUs. (Graphic: kawarthaNOW.com)
COVID-19 hospitalizations and ICU admissions in Ontario from January 7 – February 6, 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 January 7 - February 6, 2021. The red line is the cumulative number of daily deaths, and the dotted green line is a five-day moving average of daily deaths. (Graphic: kawarthaNOW.com)
COVID-19 deaths in Ontario from January 7 – February 6, 2021. The red line is the cumulative number of daily deaths, and the dotted green line is a five-day moving average of daily deaths. (Graphic: kawarthaNOW.com)
COVID-19 vaccine doses administered in Ontario from January 7 - February 6, 2021. The red line is the cumulative number of daily doses administered, and the dotted green line is a five-day moving average of daily doses. (Graphic: kawarthaNOW.com)
COVID-19 vaccine doses administered in Ontario from January 7 – February 6, 2021. The red line is the cumulative number of daily doses administered, and the dotted green line is a five-day moving average of daily doses. (Graphic: kawarthaNOW.com)

 

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

Snow squall watch for northern Kawartha Lakes starting Sunday afternoon

By kawarthaNOW -

Environment Canada has issued a snow squall watch for northern Kawartha Lakes, including Fenelon Falls, for Sunday afternoon (February 7).

Locally heavy snow squalls are forecast to develop on Sunday afternoon to the southeast of Georgian Bay, as strong west to northwest winds become established.

The snow squalls are expected to continue into Sunday night before weakening on Monday.

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Very heavy snowfall amounts in the 15 to 40 cm range appear possible, with the heaviest amounts likely in areas closest to Georgian Bay, including the Midland, Orillia, and Port Carling areas.

Winds will whip up the freshly fallen snow resulting in sudden near zero visibility in blowing snow. Dangerous winter driving conditions are possible this afternoon and tonight. Motorists are advised to adjust their travel plans accordingly.

The lake effect snow will move to the north of the region by Monday morning.

Visibility may be significantly and suddenly reduced to near zero. Surfaces such as highways, roads, walkways and parking lots may become difficult to navigate due to accumulating snow.

In other areas of the Kawarthas region, including Peterborough, Haliburton, southern Kawartha Lakes, Northumberland, and Hastings County, only 2 to 4 cm of snow are expected.

Ontario reports 1,388 new COVID-19 cases, including 9 in greater Kawarthas region

By kawarthaNOW -

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

Today, Ontario is reporting 1,388 new cases, with 11 new cases of the B.1.1.7 UK variant and no new cases the B.1.351 South Africa variant. The seven-day average of daily cases has decreased by 97 to 1,479.

In the greater Kawarthas region, there are 9 new cases to report and 10 additional cases resolved, with the number of active cases across the region decreasing by 1 to 106.

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Most of today’s new cases are in Toronto (455), Peel (288), and York (131).

There are double-digit increases in Ottawa (60), Hamilton (57), Niagara (56), Waterloo (43), Durham (46), Halton (42), Windsor-Essex (36), Simcoe Muskoka (35), Middlesex-London (26), Thunder Bay (15), Eastern Ontario (12), Southwestern (12), Chatham-Kent (11), Wellington-Dufferin-Guelph (11), and Huron Perth (10).

The remaining 16 health units are reporting 5 or fewer new cases, with 4 health units reporting no new cases at all.

Of today’s new cases, 51% are among people 40 and older, with the highest number of cases (491) among people ages 20-39, followed by 412 cases among people ages 40-59 and 201 cases among people 60-79.

With 1,796 more cases resolved since yesterday, the percentage of resolved cases has increased by 0.1% to 92.1%. The average positivity rate across Ontario has increased by 0.1% to 2.6%, meaning that 26 out of every 1,000 tests performed were positive for COVID-19 on February 5.

Ontario is reporting 45 new COVID-19 deaths today, including 22 in long-term care homes. Ontario has averaged 48 new daily deaths over the past week.

Hospitalizations have decreased by 22 from yesterday to 1,021, with the number of patients with COVID-19 in ICUs unchanged at 325 and the number of patients with COVID-19 on ventilators increasing by 3 to 228.

A total of 62,341 tests were completed yesterday, with the backlog of tests under investigation decreasing by 9,637 to 31,924.

A total of 372,666 doses of vaccine have now been administered, an increase of 9,917 from yesterday, with 96,573 people fully vaccinated with both doses of vaccine, an increase of 8,742 from yesterday.

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In the greater Kawarthas region, there are 9 new cases to report, including 4 in Kawartha Lakes, 3 in Peterborough, 1 in Northumberland, and 1 in Hastings Prince Edward. There are no new cases in Haliburton.

An additional 10 cases have been resolved, including 4 in Peterborough, 4 in Kawartha Lakes, and 2 in Northumberland. The outbreak at Golden Plough Lodge in Cobourg was declared resolved on February 5.

There are currently 106 active cases in the greater Kawarthas region, a decrease of 1 from yesterday, including 59 in Kawartha Lakes, 26 in Peterborough, 15 in Northumberland, 4 in Hastings Prince Edward (2 in Quinte West and 2 in Belleville) and 2 in Haliburton.

Since the pandemic began in the greater Kawarthas region, there have been 559 confirmed positive cases in the Peterborough area (524 resolved with 9 deaths), 481 in the City of Kawartha Lakes (389 resolved with 46 deaths), 381 in Northumberland County (357 resolved with 9 deaths), 50 in Haliburton County (48 resolved with no deaths), and 370 in Hastings and Prince Edward counties (361 resolved with 5 deaths). The most recent death was reported in Kawartha Lakes on February 4.

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

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Peterborough Public Health

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

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

Confirmed positive: 559 (increase of 3)
Active cases: 26 (decrease of 1)
Close contacts: 60 (increase of 2)
Deaths: 9 (no change)
Resolved: 524 (increase of 4)
Hospitalizations (total to date): 24 (no change)*
Total tests completed: Over 41,950 (increase of 100)
Outbreaks: Peterborough Regional Health Centre, Peterborough Retirement Residence (no change)

*As of February 5, Peterborough Regional Health Centre is reporting 4 patients hospitalized with COVID-19 and 14 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: 912, including 481 in Kawartha Lakes, 381 in Northumberland, and 50 in Haliburton (increase of 5, including 4 in Kawartha Lakes and 1 in Northumberland)*
Active cases: 76, including 59 in Kawartha Lakes, 15 in Northumberland, and 2 in Haliburton (decrease of 1 in Northumberland)
Probable cases: 1 in Kawartha Lakes (no change)
High-risk contacts: 141, including 84 in Kawartha Lakes, 35 in Northumberland, and 13 in Haliburton (net increase of 13)**
Hospitalizations (total to date): 35, including 25 in Kawartha Lakes, 8 in Northumberland, and 2 in Haliburton (no change)***
Deaths (including among probable cases): 55, including 46 in Kawartha Lakes and 9 in Northumberland (no change)
Resolved: 794, including 389 in Kawartha Lakes, 357 in Northumberland, 48 in Haliburton (increase of 6, including 4 in Kawartha Lakes and 2 in Northumberland)
Tests completed: 128,570 (increase of 572)
Institutional outbreaks: Hope St. Terrace long-term care home in Port Hope, Caressant Care McLaughlin Road long-term care home in Lindsay, Warkworth Place long-term care home in Warkworth, Caressant Care Mary Street retirement home in Lindsay, Central East Correctional Centre in Lindsay (two outbreaks), Regency long-term care home in Port Hope, Hyland Crest long-term care home in Minden, Extendicare Cobourg long-term care home, Extendicare Cobourg Landmark retirement home (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 9 high-risk contacts directly followed up through the Public Health Ontario contact tracing process that are missing the contacts’ county.

***As of February 5, Ross Memorial Hospital in Lindsay reports 1 patient hospitalized with COVID-19.

****The outbreak at Golden Plough Lodge in Cobourg was declared resolved on February 5.

 

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: 370 (increase of 1)
Active cases: 4 (increase of 1)
Deaths: 5 (no change)
Currently hospitalized: 0 (no change)
Currently hospitalized and in ICU: 0 (no change)
Currently hospitalized and in ICU on ventilator (total to date): 0 (no change)
Resolved: 361 (no change)
Tests completed: 46,664 (no change)
Vaccines administered: 1,096 (no change)
Institutional outbreaks: Trent Valley Lodge long-term care home in Trenton (no change)

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Province of Ontario

Confirmed positive: 276,718 (increase of 1,388)
7-day average of new cases: 1,479 (decrease of 97)
Resolved: 254,966 (increase of 1,796, 92.1% of all cases)
Positivity rate: 2.6% (increase of 0.1%)
Hospitalized: 1,021 (decrease of 22)
Hospitalized and in ICU: 325 (no change)
Hospitalized and in ICU on ventilator: 228 (increase of 3)
Deaths: 6,483 (increase of 45)
Deaths of residents in long-term care homes: 3,719 (increase of 22)
Total tests completed: 9,974,364 (increase of 62,341)
Tests under investigation: 41,561 (decrease of 5,721)
Vaccination doses administered: 372,666 (increase of 9,917)
People fully vaccinated (two doses): 96,573 (increase of 8,742)
Total COVID-19 variant cases: 164 of B.1.1.7 UK variant (increase of 11); 1 of B.1.351 South Africa variant (no change)

COVID-19 cases in Ontario from January 6 - February 5, 2021. The red line is the number of new cases reported daily, and the dotted green line is a five-day moving average of new cases. (Graphic: kawarthaNOW.com)
COVID-19 cases in Ontario from January 6 – February 5, 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 January 6 - February 5, 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 tests completed in Ontario from January 6 – February 5, 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 January 6 - February 5, 2021. The red line is the daily number of COVID-19 hospitalizations, the dotted green line is a five-day moving average of hospitalizations, the purple line is the daily number of patients with COVID-19 in ICUs, and the dotted orange line is a five-day moving average of is a five-day moving average of patients with COVID-19 in ICUs. (Graphic: kawarthaNOW.com)
COVID-19 hospitalizations and ICU admissions in Ontario from January 6 – February 5, 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 January 6 - February 5, 2021. The red line is the cumulative number of daily deaths, and the dotted green line is a five-day moving average of daily deaths. (Graphic: kawarthaNOW.com)
COVID-19 deaths in Ontario from January 6 – February 5, 2021. The red line is the cumulative number of daily deaths, and the dotted green line is a five-day moving average of daily deaths. (Graphic: kawarthaNOW.com)
COVID-19 vaccine doses administered in Ontario from January 6 - February 5, 2021. The red line is the cumulative number of daily doses administered, and the dotted green line is a five-day moving average of daily doses. (Graphic: kawarthaNOW.com)
COVID-19 vaccine doses administered in Ontario from January 6 – February 5, 2021. The red line is the cumulative number of daily doses administered, and the dotted green line is a five-day moving average of daily doses. (Graphic: kawarthaNOW.com)

 

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

Peterborough sees lowest number of new weekly COVID-19 cases since last November

By Paul Rellinger -
Karley and Kristy-Marie, two of the healthcare professionals at Peterborough Regional Health Centre providing care for patients with COVID-19. (Photo: Peterborough Regional Health Centre)

The recent downward trend in the number of reported positive COVID-19 cases across Ontario continues to be reflected locally.

During a Peterborough Public Health media briefing held Friday (February 5), medical officer of health Dr. Rosana Salvaterra reported that as of 4:30 p.m. Thursday, there were 31 active COVID-19 cases in the Peterborough area — two less than reported February 2nd and 19 less than one week ago. By Friday afternoon, with no new cases reported and an additional four cases resolved, that number had decreased further to 27.

This week, there have been 11 new positive cases reported locally, down considerably from the 21 new cases reported the previous week. Weekly positive case numbers this low haven’t been seen locally since the week of November 7th, when seven new cases were reported.

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“Right now we are back at yellow, as far as that pre-stay-at-home framework that we were using … everything is trending down,” said Salvaterra, adding “The staying at home, the reduction in socialization, is making a difference.”

“For each (new) case that we are getting, we’re getting a smaller number of high-risk contacts. That makes it more manageable for us. We’re also now trying to ramp up vaccine rollout. The nurses currently doing case and contact management can be redeployed as immunizers. The better controlled our outbreak is, the more capacity Peterborough Public Health will have to address vaccine rollout.”

Weekly cases of COVID-19 in the Peterborough area. For the week of February 1, 11 new cases were reported. Weekly positive case numbers this low haven't been seen locally since the week of November 7, when seven new cases were reported. (Graphic: Peterborough Public Health)
Weekly cases of COVID-19 in the Peterborough area. For the week of February 1, 11 new cases were reported. Weekly positive case numbers this low haven’t been seen locally since the week of November 7, when seven new cases were reported. (Graphic: Peterborough Public Health)

Salvaterra also updated local vaccination efforts, noting long-term care residents at Fairhaven and Riverview Manor in Peterborough, Extendicare Lakefield, Pleasant Meadow Manor in Norwood, and Springdale Country Manor in Cavan-Monaghan Township have all received their first dose of the Moderna vaccine.

With another vaccine shipment “arriving soon”, according to Salvaterra, first-dose immunizations at the region’s three remaining long-term care homes — Extendicare Peterborough, St. Joseph’s at Fleming, and Centennial Place in Millbrook — are expected to be completed by the provincially mandated deadline of February 10th.

According to Peterborough-Kawartha MP Maryam Monsef, Canada is “on track” to receive some six million vaccine doses in March.

“Our challenge is ensuring that those who administer the vaccine have the capacity and the supports to do that,” said Monsef.

Following her remarks, Peterborough-Kawartha MPP Dave Smith said Ontario has the ability now to vaccinate 40,000 people daily.

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“This past week (Ontario) received 26,000 vaccines in total; next week we’ll receive 27,000 doses” Smith said.

“Our capacity to deliver the vaccine far exceeds what we’re receiving right now. I’d like to really impress upon our federal member to do everything possible to get more vaccines for us. We have the ability to put them in people’s arms. We just need to have them here.”

“We have procured 10 doses per Canadian,” Monsef countered. “Any Canadian who wants it will receive the vaccine by September.”

Meanwhile, Peterborough Public Health is partnering with Trent University on a community-based research study aimed at getting a better handle on the beliefs, opinions and concerns residents may have as they relate to COVID-19 vaccination.

Those interested in participating must be a resident of Peterborough city or County, Curve Lake or Hiawatha, and over the age of 18 and a fluent English speaker. Visit www.peterboroughpublichealth.ca to learn more about the study and to register.

“Our goal is to better understand what kinds of information people want about vaccines and what their concerns are so we can support them in making an informed decision about getting vaccinated,” noted Peterborough Public Health communications manager Brittany Cadence.

“This will help us to build confidence in vaccines when the mass immunization clinics launch this spring. There’s a lot of information out there about vaccines. I think it’s understandable that a lot of people are confused and not sure how to tell what is credible information or not.”

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In terms of outbreaks, the news remains positive with no new ones reported. Those previously declared at the Peterborough Regional Health Centre and Peterborough Retirement Resident are ongoing but stable. An outbreak reported January 17th at Regency Retirement in Lakefield was resolved this week.

During the course of the pandemic, there have been 556 positive cases in total, 520 of which are resolved, and now nine COVID-related deaths. On the testing front, 41,850 residents have been tested at least once.

Also present and commenting during Tuesday’s briefing were Peterborough Mayor Diane Therrien, Peterborough County Warden J. Murray Jones, Peterborough Board of Health chair and Selwyn Mayor Andy Mitchell, and Peterborough Police Services Chief Scott Gilbert.

Gilbert said there have been no new charges or fines levied in relation to any violation of the ongoing public health restrictions in close to two weeks.

LOCATED – Peterborough police looking for missing 30-year-old woman

By kawarthaNOW -
Missing 30-year-old Cassandra Alexandre. (Police-supplied photos)

Peterborough police asking for the public’s assistance in locating missing 30-year-old Cassandra Alexandre.

Update – Sat Feb 6 at 11 a.m.

Cassandra Alexandre was located safe overnight.

Alexandre was last seen last Friday (January 29) at Peterborough Regional Health Centre. It is unknown what clothes she was wearing.

Police are concerned for her well-being.

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Anyone with information is asked to call the Peterborough Police Service at 705-876-1122 or Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-TIPS (8477) or online at www.stopcrimehere.ca.

Ontario reports 1,670 new COVID-19 cases, including 4 in greater Kawarthas region

By kawarthaNOW -

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

Today, Ontario is reporting 1,670 new cases, with 2 new cases of the B.1.1.7 UK variant and no new cases the B.1.351 South Africa variant. The seven-day average of daily cases has decreased by 24 to 1,576.

The total case count for today includes 125 additional cases from Toronto Public Health that were not fully migrated during the transition to Ontario’s Case and Contact Management system. Excluding these cases, today’s actual case count is 1,545.

In the greater Kawarthas region, there are 4 new cases to report and 10 additional cases resolved, with the number of active cases across the region decreasing by 3 to 107.

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Most of today’s new cases are in Toronto (667), Peel (317), York (125), and Halton (100).

There are double-digit increases in Waterloo (64), Ottawa (46), Durham (46), Hamilton (45), Simcoe Muskoka (43), Niagara (41), Windsor-Essex (28), Middlesex-London (26), Brant (20), Wellington-Dufferin-Guelph (19), Haliburton, Kawartha, Pine Ridge (17), Southwestern (16), and Eastern Ontario (11), with smaller increases in Chatham-Kent (8) and Haldimand-Norfolk (8).

The remaining 16 health units are reporting 5 or fewer new cases, with 5 health units reporting no new cases at all.

Of today’s new cases, 51% are among people 40 and older, with the highest number of cases (663) among people ages 20-39, followed by 512 cases among people ages 40-59 and 259 cases among people 60-79.

With 2,233 more cases resolved since yesterday, the percentage of resolved cases has increased by 0.3% to 92.0%. The average positivity rate across Ontario has decreased by 0.1% to 2.5%, meaning that 25 out of every 1,000 tests performed were positive for COVID-19 on February 4.

Ontario is reporting 45 new COVID-19 deaths today, including 14 in long-term care homes. Ontario has averaged 52 new daily deaths over the past week.

Hospitalizations have decreased by 58 from yesterday to 1,043, with the number of patients with COVID-19 in ICUs increasing by 2 to 325 and the number of patients with COVID-19 on ventilators decreasing by 16 to 225.

A total of 62,710 tests were completed yesterday, with the backlog of tests under investigation decreasing by 5,721 to 41,561.

A total of 362,749 doses of vaccine have now been administered, an increase of 7,694 from yesterday, with 87,831 people fully vaccinated with both doses of vaccine, an increase of 6,854 from yesterday.

There are 2 new cases in Ontario schools, a decrease of 7 from yesterday, including 1 student case and 1 case among an unidentified person. There are 22 new cases in licensed child care settings in Ontario, a decrease of 3 from yesterday, with 13 cases among children and 9 cases among staff.

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In the greater Kawarthas region, there are 4 new cases to report, including 2 in Northumberland, 1 in Kawartha Lakes, and 1 in Hastings Prince Edward. There are no new cases in Peterborough or Haliburton.

There is 1 new hospitalization in Kawartha Lakes.

An additional 10 cases have been resolved, including 4 in Peterborough, 4 in Kawartha Lakes, 1 in Northumberland, and 1 in Hastings Prince Edward.

There are currently 107 active cases in the greater Kawarthas region, a decrease of 3 from yesterday, including 59 in Kawartha Lakes, 27 in Peterborough, 16 in Northumberland, 3 in Hastings Prince Edward (1 in Quinte West and 2 in Belleville) and 2 in Haliburton.

Since the pandemic began in the greater Kawarthas region, there have been 556 confirmed positive cases in the Peterborough area (520 resolved with 9 deaths), 477 in the City of Kawartha Lakes (386 resolved with 46 deaths), 380 in Northumberland County (355 resolved with 9 deaths), 50 in Haliburton County (48 resolved with no deaths), and 369 in Hastings and Prince Edward counties (361 resolved with 5 deaths). The most recent death was reported in Kawartha Lakes on February 4.

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

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Peterborough Public Health

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

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

Confirmed positive: 556 (no change)
Active cases: 27 (decrease of 4)
Close contacts: 58 (decrease of 6)
Deaths: 9 (no change)
Resolved: 520 (increase of 4)
Hospitalizations (total to date): 24 (no change)*
Total tests completed: Over 41,850 (increase of 100)
Outbreaks: Peterborough Regional Health Centre, Peterborough Retirement Residence (no change)

*As of February 5, Peterborough Regional Health Centre is reporting 4 patients hospitalized with COVID-19 (an decrease of 1 from yesterday) and 14 patients transferred from other areas as a result of a provincial directive (no change 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: 907, including 477 in Kawartha Lakes, 380 in Northumberland, and 50 in Haliburton (increase of 3, including 1 in Kawartha Lakes and 2 in Northumberland)*
Active cases: 77, including 59 in Kawartha Lakes, 16 in Northumberland, and 2 in Haliburton (increase of 1 in Northumberland)
Probable cases: 1 in Kawartha Lakes (no change)
High-risk contacts: 108, including 56 in Kawartha Lakes, 33 in Northumberland, and 15 in Haliburton (net increase of 3)**
Hospitalizations (total to date): 35, including 25 in Kawartha Lakes, 8 in Northumberland, and 2 in Haliburton (increase of 1 in Kawartha Lakes)***
Deaths (including among probable cases): 55, including 46 in Kawartha Lakes and 9 in Northumberland (no change)
Resolved: 788, including 385 in Kawartha Lakes, 355 in Northumberland, 48 in Haliburton (increase of 5, including 4 in Kawartha Lakes and 1 in Northumberland)
Tests completed: 127,998 (increase of 659)
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 Mary Street retirement home in Lindsay, Central East Correctional Centre in Lindsay (two outbreaks), Regency long-term care home in Port Hope, Hyland Crest long-term care home in Minden, Extendicare Cobourg long-term care home, Extendicare Cobourg Landmark retirement home (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 4 high-risk contacts directly followed up through the Public Health Ontario contact tracing process that are missing the contacts’ county.

***As of February 5, Ross Memorial Hospital in Lindsay reports 1 patient hospitalized with COVID-19 (no change from yesterday).

 

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: 369 (increase of 1)
Active cases: 3 (no change)
Deaths: 5 (no change)
Currently hospitalized: 0 (no change)
Currently hospitalized and in ICU: 0 (no change)
Currently hospitalized and in ICU on ventilator (total to date): 0 (no change)
Resolved: 361 (increase of 1)
Tests completed: 46,664 (no change)
Vaccines administered: 1,096 (no change)
Institutional outbreaks: Trent Valley Lodge long-term care home in Trenton (no change)

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Province of Ontario

Confirmed positive: 275,330 (increase of 1,670)*
7-day average of new cases: 1,576 (decrease of 24)
Resolved: 253,170 (increase of 2,233, 92.0% of all cases)
Positivity rate: 2.5% (decrease of 0.1%)
Hospitalized: 1,043 (decrease of 58)
Hospitalized and in ICU: 325 (increase of 2)
Hospitalized and in ICU on ventilator: 225 (decrease of 16)
Deaths: 6,438 (increase of 45)
Deaths of residents in long-term care homes: 3,697 (increase of 14)
Total tests completed: 9,912,023 (increase of 62,710)
Tests under investigation: 41,561 (decrease of 5,721)
Vaccination doses administered: 362,749 (increase of 7,694)
People fully vaccinated (two doses): 87,831 (increase of 6,854)
Total COVID-19 variant cases: 155 of B.1.1.7 UK variant (increase of 2); 1 of B.1.351 South Africa variant (no change)

*Toronto Public Health is reporting 125 additional cases today that were not fully migrated during the transition to to Ontario’s Case and Contact Management system, resulting in a slight overestimation of today’s overall case numbers.

COVID-19 cases in Ontario from January 5 - February 4, 2021. The red line is the number of new cases reported daily, and the dotted green line is a five-day moving average of new cases. (Graphic: kawarthaNOW.com)
COVID-19 cases in Ontario from January 5 – February 4, 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 January 5 - February 4, 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 tests completed in Ontario from January 5 – February 4, 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 January 5 - February 4, 2021. The red line is the daily number of COVID-19 hospitalizations, the dotted green line is a five-day moving average of hospitalizations, the purple line is the daily number of patients with COVID-19 in ICUs, and the dotted orange line is a five-day moving average of is a five-day moving average of patients with COVID-19 in ICUs. (Graphic: kawarthaNOW.com)
COVID-19 hospitalizations and ICU admissions in Ontario from January 5 – February 4, 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 January 5 - February 4, 2021. The red line is the cumulative number of daily deaths, and the dotted green line is a five-day moving average of daily deaths. (Graphic: kawarthaNOW.com)
COVID-19 deaths in Ontario from January 5 – February 4, 2021. The red line is the cumulative number of daily deaths, and the dotted green line is a five-day moving average of daily deaths. (Graphic: kawarthaNOW.com)
COVID-19 vaccine doses administered in Ontario from January 5 - February 4, 2021. The red line is the cumulative number of daily doses administered, and the dotted green line is a five-day moving average of daily doses. (Graphic: kawarthaNOW.com)
COVID-19 vaccine doses administered in Ontario from January 5 – February 4, 2021. The red line is the cumulative number of daily doses administered, and the dotted green line is a five-day moving average of daily doses. (Graphic: kawarthaNOW.com)

 

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

Peterborough filmmaker Jeremy Kelly and his car-racing pals give new life to writer’s 33-year-old Chevy

By Paul Rellinger -
In June 2020, kawarthaNOW writer Paul Rellinger sold his 1988 Chevrolet Cavalier to Peterborough car-racing driver and filmmaker Jeremy Kelly for $150. Kelly and his three vehicle restoration and racing buff friends fixed up the car for a rally. They document the journey in episode five of "Cease & Desist", premiering on Facebook and YouTube on February 7, 2021. (Photo courtesy of Larry and Ben Strung / StrungFoto)

It poured buckets early on the evening of June 23, 2020 but that was fitting, equating perfectly with my sadness as I said goodbye to my 1988 Chevrolet Cavalier.

That car and I had been through a lot since the spring of 2007, when Mom gifted me Dad’s beloved ride shortly after his passing in late April of that same year. For $80 — the cost of changing the ownership — the Rellingers had a second vehicle, which sure made our family’s life a whole lot easier.

But come last summer, it had sat in the driveway for more than a year, strong of body but weak of pretty much everything else. Vehicle maintenance was never my thing, limited for the most part to emptying the overflowing dashboard ashtray every couple of months and paper clipping the drooping interior roof fabric back in place.

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And so a call to the wrecker was made, the promise of $150 coming my way if I could get it there.

But a funny thing happened on the way to the car crusher. I remembered a conversation I had with car-racing driver and filmmaker Jeremy Kelly in 2017 during which I related my ownership of said car and he related his desire to one day buy it should I decide to sell it.

“It’s not every day you hear about a car that has lasted that long and has had such a journeyed kind of life,” Kelly says of his initial interest.

So it was that Kelly, joined by his pals and vehicle restoration and racing buffs Tyler Junkin, Nate Mitchell, and Andy McCann, came by the house that rainy June evening, poured over the car front to back, and then took it away to work their magic.

Jeremy Kelly (second from right) and Tyler Junkin, Nate Mitchell, and Andy McCann with kawarthaNOW writer Paul Rellinger's former 1988 Chevrolet Cavalier. (Photo courtesy of Ellisha Tryon)
Jeremy Kelly (second from right) and Tyler Junkin, Nate Mitchell, and Andy McCann with kawarthaNOW writer Paul Rellinger’s former 1988 Chevrolet Cavalier. (Photo courtesy of Ellisha Tryon)

This Sunday (February 7) at 6 p.m., the fruits of their labour will be evident as “Cease & Desist Episode 5: The Covilier” — a witty take on COVID and Cavalier — premieres on Facebook at facebook.com/dontsayhoon and on the FilmKELLY YouTube channel.

The 43-minute production shot by Kelly, a Sheridan College-trained filmmaker who has worked on numerous projects over the years, chronicles the boys’ initial driveway introduction to the beater, their modifying it to get it car rally-ready, and the events of race day at the Free Flow MX Park and Campground near Belleville.

What’s abundantly clear in the documentary is it wasn’t love at first sight for Junkin, Mitchell, and McCann when they first laid eyes on the four-cylinder subject of Kelly’s desire.

VIDEO: “Cease & Desist Episode 5: The Covilier” teaser (graphic language)

“That style of car is considered cool and classic now,” says Kelly, making me somewhat regret my not taking care of it.

“I saw some promise they didn’t see. That was out of my own naiveté. Those guys have been around the block many times with this car in particular and many others of that era. They kind of knew what was coming, but I saw the potential.”

“It’s not about being the fastest or the most luxurious. It’s about taking a turd and polishing it up and making it something that’s a little more cooler than it is.”

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Despite their initial misgivings — I haven’t heard that many f-bombs dropped since I last dusted off Scarface — Kelly says his pals warmed up to the project once they got busy making the necessary modifications.

“We did all the stuff we did to it and it kind of grew on us. You form a kind of attachment. You put some love into it and you have the experience of driving it in that context, racing around the track. It’s like ‘Holy crap, this is actually fun.'”

Post-rally, the Cavalier’s transmission shot all to hell, discussion turned to scrapping it but Kelly says the group consensus was “No, we can’t get rid of it.” And so it’s now in a most familiar position: parked with nowhere to go.

Episode five of "Cease & Desist", premiering on Facebook and YouTube on February 7, 2021, documents the transformation of kawarthaNOW writer Paul Rellinger's former 33-year-old beater into a car rally competitor. (Photo courtesy of Cease & Desist)
Episode five of “Cease & Desist”, premiering on Facebook and YouTube on February 7, 2021, documents the transformation of kawarthaNOW writer Paul Rellinger’s former 33-year-old beater into a car rally competitor. (Photo courtesy of Cease & Desist)

As a side story, there’s some drama around the series name of Cease & Desist.

Related story

Local filmmaker’s work to be aired on Velocity

In late April 2018, Velocity — part of the Discovery’s specialty cable channel network — aired Hoonin’ All Day, Kelly’s 22-minute production documenting how the foursome brought another beater back to life and took it for a spin at Shannonville Motorsport Park. It later competed very well at a King of the Hill event at Peterborough Speedway.

Hooning is a term used primarily in Australia and New Zealand to describe driving a vehicle in a reckless or dangerous manner, generally to provoke a reaction from onlookers.

“After we aired on Discovery, I got a five-page cease-and-desist order,” says Kelly, adding it came from Ken Block, a professional rally driver with the Hoonigan Racing Division, a U.S.-based motor racing team that competes worldwide.

“I was like ‘What is this?’ The billionaire car racing guy was threatened by four unknown dudes who virtually make no money on this. So we were like ‘OK, I guess we have to change the name.’ We had to take down episodes from Facebook and YouTube and kind of be quiet for a bit. We had a group chat and decided to call it Cease & Desist.”

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With a competitive racing background forged mostly at Peterborough Speedway events, Kelly has combined his two passions — auto racing and filmmaking — to keep himself busy. He comes by the former naturally, his grandfather having raced back in the day at Peterborough Speedway and Bell City in Selwyn.

On the film side of things, his credits include a canoe-related documentary he worked on with Tony Buell, a co-production with Rob Viscardis detailing The Weber Brothers’ musical journey, and a 14-part TV series in 2012 about two bad golfers scouring the world for unique golf courses.

COVID pandemic restrictions have limited the work Kelly can do now, but he has been quite busy producing PSAs for local organizations like Peterborough EMS and the OPP along with “tons of corporate videos.”

The past month, however, saw him devote most all of his time to editing this newest episode of Cease & Desist.

kawarthaNOW writer Paul Rellinger's former 1988 Chevrolet Cavalier, modified by Jeremy Kelly, Tyler Junkin, Nate Mitchell, and Andy McCann, on race day at the Free Flow MX Park and Campground near Belleville. (Photo courtesy of Larry and Ben Strung / StrungFoto)
kawarthaNOW writer Paul Rellinger’s former 1988 Chevrolet Cavalier, modified by Jeremy Kelly, Tyler Junkin, Nate Mitchell, and Andy McCann, on race day at the Free Flow MX Park and Campground near Belleville. (Photo courtesy of Larry and Ben Strung / StrungFoto)

“At this point everyone needs to see or hear something that’s not COVID-related and just kind of escape reality for a moment,” says Kelly of what he hopes the take-away will be for viewers.

“It’s a like precursor to things maybe opening up in the summer, and we can actually get together with friends and have some fun. As a filmmaker, I’d love to do this full-time with the boys. They’re so passionate about this stuff.”

In the meantime, the Cavalier that won’t die lives.

kawarthaNOW writer Paul Rellinger (left) saying goodbye to his 1988 Chevrolet Cavalier, originally owned by his late father. Episode five of "Cease & Desist", premiering on Facebook and YouTube on February 7, 2021, documents the efforts of Jeremy Kelly, Tyler Junkin, Nate Mitchell, and Andy McCann to transform the car into rally condition. (Screenshot)
kawarthaNOW writer Paul Rellinger (left) saying goodbye to his 1988 Chevrolet Cavalier, originally owned by his late father. Episode five of “Cease & Desist”, premiering on Facebook and YouTube on February 7, 2021, documents the efforts of Jeremy Kelly, Tyler Junkin, Nate Mitchell, and Andy McCann to transform the car into rally condition. (Screenshot)

On the sale price of $150, I made back what I paid close to 14 years ago plus $70. Not too shabby by any standards.

But more than that, it’ll be fun to watch the car my dad wouldn’t coax past 80 kilometres per hour on the highway being pushed to its limit on the rally track.

I’m not sure Dad would be happy I sold his pride-and-joy for that purpose, but he’d be thrilled I at least made a few bucks.

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As for Kelly, the purchase price was more than fair considering the return.

“That $150 has brought me so much joy, so much fun and camaraderie between my buddies and me. I don’t care if I ever get that $150 back.”

That said, he’s working on it, having pocketed $3 in change he found hiding in the car.

Damn.

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