Premier Doug Ford says that Ontario will not issue an emergency order banning people from visiting their cottages during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Ford made the comments at a media briefing on Tuesday afternoon (May 5) when responding to questions from reporters about cottagers preparing for the Victoria Day long weekend.

“There’s no order on the table right now and there won’t be,” Ford said. “People are cooperating, so we have to give a little bit of leniency. If you put down the hammer, and say you just aren’t coming, people aren’t going to listen.”

Mayors of some rural communities have expressed concerns that a sudden influx of seasonal residents could strain local resources, including health care services and businesses supplying food and other essentials to year-round residents.

Some mayors and public health officials also worry that cottage owners who normally reside in Toronto and the GTA — areas with the highest COVID-19 infection rates in the province — will potentially infect local residents and place further stress on local hospitals.

Ford will be speaking with the mayors of cottage country on Wednesday (May 6) to discuss the issue of people visiting their secondary residences on the Victoria Day weekend.

“I want to make sure we’ve got collaboration from all the communities, all the mayors. Be prepared, people are coming up on May the 24th. But in saying that, I truly believe that people are going to bring their own supplies, they’re going to bring their own food, they’re going to stay at their cottage. People won’t be going to go into town as much as a typical May 24th weekend.”

Ford said that the spread of COVID-19 has been slowing in Ontario and that “on May the 24th, three weeks down the road, hopefully the numbers will be down.” The Victoria Day weekend is actually in less than two weeks; it’s colloquially called the May 24 weekend, but the federal holiday is always celebrated on the last Monday preceding May 25th, which in 2020 is Monday, May 18th.

“It’s going to be hard to hold back people going back to their cottages,” Ford said. “I’m getting calls about ‘Why should I pay my taxes if I’m not allowed to go up to my cottage?” I understand it, but I just want to make sure that when that time comes — if it does come, and hopefully it will — that people bring up their own supplies and they don’t go into town — even though when I spoke to one of the mayors, he said it’s not an issue right now, it’s not an issue with hospitals, with food in the stores.”

Ford also noted that businesses in cottage country rely on cottagers to keep their businesses open.

The Premier was unaware that Dr. Shanker Nesathurai, the medical officer of the Haldimand-Norfolk Health Unit, had issued an order on April 23rd under Ontario’s Health Protection and Promotion Act (HPPA) prohibiting owners of secondary residences from visiting their properties in Haldimand and Norfolk counties.

That region of the province includes towns and villages along Lake Erie, such as Port Dover, Turkey Point, and Long Point. People who breach the order could face fines of up to $5,000 per day.

“This is the first time I’ve heard of this,” Ford said when a reporter asked about the order. “How can you predict three weeks down the road? We’re doing pretty good. Then how do you tell people that are paying taxes, that are paying the bills for the vast majority of people there, to stay home? Do you have enough by-law officers, enough police, to enforce this? The answer is no.”

Last weekend, in response to the Haldimand-Norfolk Health Unit order, Ontario’s Chief Medical Officer of Health Dr. David Williams issued a memo to local medical officers of health across the province advising against the issuance of such orders.

“After consultation with the Public Health Measures Table chaired by Dr. David McKeown, Associate Chief Medical Officer of Health, my current recommendation is to not prohibit access to secondary residences through legal order, but to continue to provide communications that discourage their use,” Williams wrote. “I similarly recommend that medical officers of health do not issue Section 22 class orders under the HPPA prohibiting access to these residences.”

At the media briefing, a reporter asked Ford whether people who don’t own cottages will also be able to enjoy the Victoria Day long weekend by visiting local parks or playgrounds.

“Yes, you will be,” Ford replied. “It’s not fair, and we’ll have some good announcements moving forward this week.”

Memo from Chief Medical Officer of Health: Advice on the Access to Secondary Residences

Section 22 Order from Haldimand-Norfolk Medical Officer of Health

Miskin Law plans to take a Ottawa testing laboratory and a COVID-19 test manufacturer to court for a series of false positive COVID-19 test results.

According to a media release from the Peterborough-based law firm issued on Tuesday (May 5), false positive test results of staff members and residents at Case Manor Care Community, a long-term care facility in Bobcaygeon, “created distress and severe hardship for people living at Case Manor and those who care for them.”

According to the media release, Miskin Law says samples from staff and residents taken in late April were sent to Bio-Test Laboratories in Ottawa. Miskin Law also claims the tests were provided by Spartan Bioscience, also of Ottawa.

The results showed eight positive COVID-19 cases among 13 people tested. On Friday (May 1), Bio-Test Laboratories advised the Haliburton, Kawartha, Pine Ridge (HKRP) District Health Unit that 13 of the lab’s positive COVID-19 test results were affected by a technical error that may have resulted in false positives.

On Sunday (May 3), Health Canada announced it was restricting the use of a rapid COVID-19 test created by Spartan Bioscience after the National Microbiology Lab (NML) found reliability issues with the test.

Responding to the original version of this story, Spartan Bioscience director of communications Molly Kett writes in an email to kawarthaNOW that the NML found that issues with Spartan’s proprietary swab led to false negatives and not false positives.

Kett also disputes the claim by Miskin Law that Spartan Bioscience tests were used by Bio-Test Laboratories.

“There is no indication that Bio-Test Laboratories received Spartan’s test, and Bio-Test is not a Spartan customer,” Kett writes.

Miskin Law states it has been retained on behalf of the people involved and will be proceeding in the Ontario Court with a class action lawsuit to be issued online for the Superior Court in Peterborough against the lab and test manufacturer.

“The Bobcaygeon community has already been devastated by COVID-19,” says Murray Miskin, senior lawyer and managing director of Miskin Law. “To have false positive test results at Case Manor has made people terrified and they have suffered genuine financial losses in addition to emotional harm.”

Miskin Law states the claim is on behalf of staff and their close friends and family members who have had to stop work and go into isolation, and also for residents and their families.

“Miskin Law is hoping to also work in co-operation with Sienna Senior Living, the owner of the facility, to recover its financial losses resulting from the incorrect testing,” states the media release.

Based in Peterborough with offices in Lindsay and Whitby, Miskin Law is the leading Canadian law firm for asbestos injury compensation and is involved in numerous prescription drug and other injury class actions in addition to local and national personal injury litigation.

This story has been updated with a response from Spartan Bioscience regarding the allegations made by Miskin Law.

The Peterborough Regional Health Centre (PRHC) Foundation announced on Tuesday (May 5) that donations to the organization’s COVID-19 response fund will now be matched up to $190,000, thanks to additional contributions from businesses and community leaders.

Local philanthropists David and Patricia Morton got the ball rolling in April when they helped donors double the impact of their donations to the fund by providing a matching gift of up to $50,000.

“More community leaders and businesses have come forward to join the Mortons with the hopes of inspiring others to stand behind our front-line health care workers as they respond to the COVID-19 crisis,” says PRHC Foundation president and CEO Lesley Heighway. “The additional $140,000 in committed funds brings our matching gift total to an incredible $190,000.”

Heighway says that the new donations were inspired by the dedication of PRHC’s health care professionals, the Mortons’ generosity, and the community’s “incredible response” to the crisis.

The additional $140,000 in matching funds were donated by Neinstein Personal Injury Lawyers, The Staffing Connection/Level A Professional Group, and the combined support of other anonymous community leaders, Heighway says.

Donations to the PRHC Foundation’s COVID-19 response fund are supporting the hospital’s most urgent pandemic-related priorities. Heighway says gifts made to date are already helping protect front-line workers, prevent the spread of infection, and support vulnerable patients and their families.

“Thanks to the community’s generosity, the foundation was able to immediately fund a crucial supply of additional scrubs for staff and physicians, as well as new plexiglass screening stations now installed throughout the hospital,” Heighway explains.

“We were also able to support PRHC’s new virtual visiting program by funding new iPads and supportive equipment, making it possible for palliative patients to connect with family members and friends who are unable to visit them due to the current restrictions.”

Heighway adds that, while PRHC’s front-line workers and leaders have been preparing to respond to COVID-19 for months, 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.

“We’d like to thank the Mortons, Neinstein Personal Injury Lawyers, The Staffing Connection/Level A Professional Group, our anonymous donors, and everyone who has already donated to the COVID-19 response fund,” she says. “Your generosity is ensuring PRHC’s doctors, nurses and health care support workers can continue to save patients’ lives while protecting their own.”

For more information about the PRHC Foundation and to make a donation, call 705-876-5000 or visit www.prhcfoundation.ca, where you can also share a message of support with PRHC’s front-line health care workers and staff. Donations will also be accepted by mail care of PRHC Foundation, 1 Hospital Drive, Peterborough, ON, K9J 7C6.

Construction on the new Scotts Mills Dam at Lock 19 on the Trent-Severn Waterway is set to resume shortly — as early as this week, according to a media release from Parks Canada.

The good news for Peterborough residents where the dam is located, south of Lansdowne Street where it crosses the Otonabee River, is that pile driving won’t resume until June.

The loud pounding of the pile driving, which could be heard from kilometres away, was a regular feature of the construction before it was temporarily halted to accommodate heavy water flows associated with the spring melt, as well as in-water work restrictions outlined by the Department of Fisheries and Oceans.

Construction will be resuming on the first two sluices and completion of the secant retaining wall on the eastern shoreline. Demolition and excavation are almost complete, with construction of the pier, base slab, and stilling basin to follow.

Local residents can expect additional construction noise when construction resumes, especially in June when pile driving resumes.

According to Parks Canada, the new dam will respect the historic look of the site and will have a life expectancy of more than 80 years.

It will optimize hydraulic capacity, increase the safety of water management operations, and be constructed in a way that allows improved access for maintenance activities.

In addition, the project will be the first step in creating a more public-friendly lock site. Once restored, the dam will include pedestrian access onto the dam itself.

This story has been corrected to indicate that the temporary break in construction was previously planned and was unrelated to the COVID-19 pandemic.

All three public health units in the greater Kawarthas region have now released guidelines and instructions for the safe operation of community gardens in their respective areas.

On April 25th, the Ontario government announced that emergency orders under the Emergency Management and Civil Protection Act will be amended to permit the use of allotment gardens and community gardens across the province. The gardens, which are a source of fresh food for people including those who face food insecurity, were previously not considered an essential service.

With the growing season approaching, many advocates for food security and community gardens had raised concerns that the gardens were forced to remain closed under Ontario’s state of emergency.

The province also announced that local medical officers of health would be providing advice, recommendation, and instructions that the gardens must meet to operate, such as physical distancing, and cleaning and disinfecting commonly used equipment and surfaces.

The guidelines recently released by Peterborough Public Health, Haliburton Kawartha Pine Ridge District Health Unit, and Hastings Prince Edward Public Health share some common instructions, including maintaining physical distancing of at least two metres (six feet) between gardeners, providing a hand-washing or hand sanitizer station at the garden with instructional signage, avoiding the sharing of tools between gardeners, and regularly disinfecting tools and high-touch surfaces.

Other instructions vary, but frequent ones include avoiding the community garden if you feel sick, prohibiting public guests in the garden (members, staff, and volunteers only), limiting the number of people in the garden at any one time to five, bringing children to the garden only on an as-needed basis, prohibiting pets (except for service animals), limiting the amount of time spent in the garden, and prohibiting social gatherings, workshops, and similar group events.

Detailed guidelines and instructions are available from each health unit’s website:

• Peterborough Public Health – Recommendations and Instructions for Safe Community Gardening and COVID-19 Prevention
• Haliburton Kawartha Pine Ridge District Health Unit – Community Gardens and COVID-19
• Hastings Prince Edward Public Health – COVID-19 Safe Operating Requirements for Community Gardens

All 20 staff members of Hospice Peterborough have tested negative for COVID-19, including the facility’s medical director Dr. John Beamish, according to a media release issued by the facility on Tuesday (May 5).

Last Tuesday (April 29), the palliative care facility revealed that a resident with cancer had tested positive with COVID-19.

The resident showed no symptoms of COVID-19 and the positive test result is now believed to have been one of the false positive results resulting from a technical error at Bio-Test Laboratories in Ottawa.

Hospice Peterborough continues to accept new admissions to the palliative residence and will continue to screen residents, essential visitors, and staff to its London St. location.

In accordance with Hospice Peterborough’s COVID-19 outbreak management plan, the building has undergone deep cleaning and disinfecting.

To minimize the risk of community transmissions and for the safety of residents, their families, clients, volunteers, and staff, Hospice Peterborough made the decision in early March to restrict entry to its London Street location to essential resident visitors and staff only.

kawarthaNOW has put together this list with information on the status of COVID-19 outbreaks in long-term care facilities and retirement homes in the greater Kawarthas region.

This information is current as of May 6th and is based on data from the individual homes, local public health units, and the Ontario government.

New COVID-19 outbreaks have been declared at Caressant Care Lindsay and Maplewood Nursing Home in Brighton.

COVID-19 outbreaks are ongoing at Pinecrest Nursing Home in Bobcaygeon, Case Manor Care Community in Bobcaygeon, St. Joseph’s at Fleming in Peterborough, Extendicare Lakefield, Peterborough Retirement Residence, Hastings Manor in Belleville, and Moira Place in Tweed.

COVID-19 outbreaks that have been declared over are Empress Gardens Retirement Residence, St. John’s Centre in Peterborough, Adelaide Place in Lindsay, and Belmont Long Term Care Facility in Belleville.

More details for each outbreak are listed below:

Caressant Care Lindsay – Declared

A COVID-19 outbreak at Caressant Care Lindsay was declared on May 4th after one asymptomatic resident tested positive for COVID-19 following enhanced surveillance testing conducted on April 30th.

This individual is in a private room, but residents living in the same wing have been sharing a common dining room and share common areas such as halls.

All residents have now been isolated to their rooms and will receive meal tray service. More test results for this facility are still pending.

Caressant Care Lindsay is a 124-bed long-term care home.

Maplewood Nursing Home in Brighton – Declared

A COVID-19 outbreak at Maplewood Nursing Home was declared on May 4th after one symptomatic resident tested positive for COVID-19. The resident became symptomatic and was tested on May 1st with test results received on May 4th. There are 41 residents living in the home that consists of one floor with ward and semi-private rooms.

The facility has isolated the individual in a room by themselves. As well, tray service for resident meals has been implemented and staff have been using personal protective equipment and will now be limited to working in specified areas to help reduce any potential spread. Enhanced surveillance testing for Maplewood will take place.

Maplewood is a 49-bed long-term care home.

Pinecrest Nursing Home in Bobcaygeon – Ongoing

Pinecrest Nursing Home in Bobcaygeon, which experienced one of the first and largest COVID-19 outbreaks in Ontario and one in which 28 residents died, is “cautiously optimistic” that the outbreak will finally be declared over in the near future, according to an email from the home’s administrator Mary Carr on May 4th.

The majority of Pinecrest residents have now tested negative for COVID-19 twice, and the remaining residents were retested for their second time on May 4th.

Pinecrest Nursing Home is a 65-bed long-term care home.

Case Manor Care Community in Bobcaygeon – Ongoing

An outbreak was declared at the facility on April 26th after enhanced surveillance testing found six asymptomatic residents and six asymptomatic staff members had tested positive for COVID-19. All residents were isolated in their rooms, and they were monitored for signs and symptoms. As well, enhanced cleaning practices were implemented, staff were using personal protective equipment, and additional screening measures were put in place for staff members starting their shifts.

On May 1st, the Haliburton Kawartha Pine Ridge District Health Unit was notified that a lab error may have resulted in false-positive test results for the 12 individuals at Case Manor. The individuals were retested and the swabs sent to another lab. As of May 5th, the tests for five of the residents have returned as negative. The remaining test results have not been returned and so the outbreak has not been lifted pending those results.

Case Manor Care Community is a 96-bed long-term care home.

Adelaide Place in Lindsay – Rescinded

A COVID-19 outbreak declared at Adelaide Place Retirement Community in Lindsay on May 1st was lifted on May 5th.

The resident was a new addition and has been placed in strict isolation since arriving as per Ministry of Health guidelines. The resident is asymptomatic, has had no contact with any other residents, and has only had contact with staff members who are wearing full droplet/contact personal protective equipment.

The same day the Haliburton Kawartha Pine Ridge District Health Unit declared the outbreak, it was notified that a lab error may have resulted in the false-positive test result for the resident Adelaide Place. The resident was reswabbed and on May 5th the results were returned showing the resident does ot have COVID-19.

Adelaide Place is a 125-unit retirement home.

St. Joseph’s at Fleming in Peterborough – Ongoing

A COVID-19 outbreak was declared at St. Joseph’s at Fleming in Peterborough on March 21st.

One resident has tested positive for COVID-19. That resident is in Hilltop D and is being closely monitored.

The results for other residents who tested positive for COVID-19 were false positives due to a technical error at Bio-Test Laboratories in Ottawa. Those residents are now off isolation.

A resident who has since died had tested positive for COVID-19, but she was already in palliative care when she contracted COVID-19 and her death was not related to COVID-19.

St. Joseph’s at Fleming is a 200-bed long-term care home.

Extendicare Lakefield – Ongoing

A COVID-19 outbreak at Extendicare Lakefield was declared on April 26th.

According to data from the Ontario government, at least one staff member tested positive for COVID-19.

No other details are available.

Extendicare Lakefield is a 100-bed long-term care home.

Peterborough Retirement Residence – Ongoing

A COVID-19 outbreak at Peterborough Retirement Residence was declared on April 26th.

No other details are available.

Peterborough Retirement Residence is a 105-bed retirement home.

Empress Gardens Retirement Residence in Peterborough – Ended

Empress Gardens Retirement Residence in Peterborough is no longer in outbreak as of May 3rd.

A single resident had tested positive for COVID-19, but that result has been confirmed as a false positive. A technical error at Bio-Test Laboratories in Ottawa was the cause of the false positive test result.

Once the case was identified, all residents and all staff members were tested for COVID-19. While not all the results have been received, so far every result for residents and staff has been negative.

Empress Gardens Retirement Residence is an 87-bed retirement home.

St. John’s Centre in Peterborough – Ended

St. John’s Centre in Peterborough is no longer in outbreak as of May 3rd.

All staff members and tenants have tested negative for COVID-19 as of April 29th.

A part-time staff member had tested positive for COVID-19 earlier in April. That employee finished her shift on April 17th and was instructed to stay home on April 20th when she reported symptoms of COVID-19.

St. John’s Centre is a 102-unit retirement home.

Belmont Long Term Care Facility in Belleville – Ended

Belmont Long Term Care Facility in Belleville is no longer in outbreak as of May 4th.

A COVID-19 outbreak was declared at the home on April 28th. According to data supplied to the Ontario government, a total of 12 residents had tested positive for COVID-19.

However, on May 4th, Hastings Prince Edward Public Health declared the outbreak over on the basis that “evidence deemed insufficient.” No further details are available; it is possible that these tests results were false positive.

Belmont Long Term Care Facility is a 128-bed long-term care home.

Hastings Manor in Belleville – Ongoing

A COVID-19 outbreak was declared at Hastings Manor in Belleville on April 2nd, after two staff members tested positive for COVID-19.

A total of five staff members and 10 residents had tested positive for COVID-19 as of April 28th. Two residents who were COVID-19 positive have since passed away due to complications from the disease.

Hastings Manor is a 253-bed long-term care home operated by the County of Hastings.

Moira Place in Tweed – Ongoing

A respiratory outbreak at Moira Place in Tweed was first declared on April 16th and COIVD-19 was confirmed on April 22nd.

A single staff member tested positive for COVID-19 on April 22nd after coming into work on April 12th and failing screening. That person is recovering in self-isolation at home.

Once the positive test was identified, all residents and all staff members were tested for COVID-19.

As of May 1st, with 259 test results received, all resident tests have come back negative and most staff member results have been negative (a handful of test results are still to be received).

Moira Place is a 128-bed long-term care home.

This story has been updated with the most recent information available.

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

Here’s today summary: there are now 69 confirmed positive cases in the Peterborough area, 142 in the City of Kawartha Lakes, 13 in Northumberland County, 7 in Haliburton County, and 43 in Hastings County and Prince Edward County.

That’s a net decrease of 11 cases from yesterday’s report, with 15 cases in Peterborough identified as false positives due to a lab error at Bio-Test Laboratories in Ottawa. There are 3 new cases in Kawartha Lakes and 1 new case in Hastings and Prince Edward.

Outbreaks at Empress Gardens Retirement Residence and St. John’s Senior Centre in Peterborough and Belmont in Belleville have been declared over.

There have been 38 deaths, a decrease of 1 from yesterday’s report (Peterborough Public Health has reduced the number of deaths; no information is yet available on why). The most recent death was reported on April 30 by Hastings Prince Edward Public Health.

Province-wide, there are 17,923 confirmed cases, an increase of 370 from yesterday’s report. There have been 1,300 deaths, an increase of 84 from yesterday’s report (this is the largest one-day increase in recent weeks). A total of 342,060 tests have been completed, an increase of 14,555 from yesterday’s report, with 6,265 tests 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: 69 (decrease of 15 from May 3)*
Confirmed negative: 2,798 (as of April 28)**
Results pending: 829 (as of April 28)**
Deaths: 2 (decrease of 1 from May 3)***
Resolved: 47 (no change from May 3)
Total tests completed: 3,713 (as of April 28)**
Institutional Outbreaks: St. Joseph’s at Fleming, Extendicare Lakefield, Peterborough Retirement Residence (decreasse of 2 from May 3)****

*The total number of positive cases may no longer be accurate. On May 3, the health unit advised that 22 positive cases reported between April 22 and 29 may be false positives due to a technical error at an Ottawa laboratory.

**Due to increased testing in long-term care facilities, there is a delay in reporting these numbers.

***The health unit has decreased the number of deaths by one. Information on the reason for the change is not yet available.

****Outbreaks at Empress Gardens Retirement Residence and St. John’s Senior Centre have been declared over.

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: 162, including 142 in Kawartha Lakes, 13 in Northumberland, 7 in Haliburton (increase of 3 from May 3)*
Hospitalizations: 10 (no change from May 3)
Deaths: 32, including 28 in Pinecrest Nursing Home in Bobcaygeon (no change from May 3)
Resolved: 123 (no change from May 3)
Institutional Outbreaks: Pinecrest Nursing Home in Bobcaygeon, Ross Memorial Hospital in Lindsay, Case Manor in Bobcaygeon, Adelaide Place in Lindsay**

*The total number of positive cases may no longer be accurate. On May 3, the health unit advised that 13 positive cases at Case Manor in Bobcaygeon and Adelaide Place in Lindsay may be false positives due to a technical error at an Ottawa laboratory.

**An outbreak at Adelaide Place in Lindsay was declared on April 30th when a single resident tested positive for COVID-19. However, that test may be a false positive due to a technical error at an Ottawa laboratory.

Hastings Prince Edward Public Health

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

Confirmed positive: 43 (increase of 1 from May 3)
Probable cases: 195 (decrease of 3 from May 3)
Deaths: 4 (no change from May 3)
Hospitalized: 1 (no change from May 3)
Hospitalized and in ICU: 1 (no change from May 3)
Hospitalized and in ICU on ventilator: 0 (no change from May 3)
Recovered: 20 (no change from May 3)
Total tests completed: 3,202 (increase of 51 from May 3)
Institutional Outbreaks: Hastings Manor in Belleville, Moira Place in Tweed (decrease of 1 from May 3)*

*The COVID-19 outbreak at Belmont in Belleville was declared over on May 4th due to insufficient evidence of COVID-19.

Province of Ontario

Confirmed positive: 17,923 (increase of 370 from May 3)
Hospitalized: 984 (decrease of 26 from May 3)
Hospitalized and in ICU: 225 (decrease of 7 from May 3)
Hospitalized and in ICU on ventilator: 175 (increase of 1 from May 3)
Deaths: 1,300 (increase of 84 from May 3)
Total tests completed 342,060 (increase of 14,555 from May 3)
Tests under investigation: 6,265 (decrease of 3,520 from May 3)
Resolved: 12,505 (increase of 500 from May 3)

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

This story has been updated with the most recent information from health units released in late afternoon on May 4th.

A 25-year-old Quinte West woman faces impaired driving charges after crashing her car into a cemetery just west of Brighton on Saturday morning (May 2).

Just before 7 a.m., Northumberland OPP responded to a report of a single-vehicle collision on County Road 2 near Branscombe Road.

Officers arrived on scene and found a severely damaged grey Chevrolet four-door sedan on the north side of County Road 2, within the perimeter of a cemetery at that location.

The driver, who was the lone occupant of the vehicle, was found to be under the influence of alcohol and was transported to a local area hospital to be treated for injuries sustained as a result of the collision.

Taylor Elizabeth Haryett was arrested and charged with operation while impaired – alcohol and drugs, operation while impaired – blood alcohol concentration (80 plus), and driving while under suspension.

She was released and is scheduled to appear at the Ontario Court of Justice in Cobourg on June 24, 2020.