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Daily COVID-19 update for Peterborough and the greater Kawarthas region – May 15, 2020

By kawarthaNOW -

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

Here’s today summary: there are 73 confirmed positive cases in the Peterborough area, 141 in the City of Kawartha Lakes, 15 in Northumberland County, 7 in Haliburton County, and 42 in Hastings County and Prince Edward County.

That’s an increase of 2 cases from yesterday’s report, with 1 new case in Kawartha Lakes and 1 new case in Northumberland. The outbreak at St. Joseph’s at Fleming in Peterborough was declared over on May 15.

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

Province-wide, there are 21,922 confirmed cases, an increase of 428 from yesterday (the number includes 87 cases not reported on May 14 due to a data upload error; actual cases are 345 on May 14 and 341 on May 15). A total of 16,641 cases are resolved, an increase of 437 from yesterday. There have been 1,825 deaths, an increase of 27 from yesterday. A total of 510,841 tests have been completed, an increase of 18,354 from yesterday, with 14,373 tests under investigation, a decrease of 3,205 from yesterday.

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

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

 

Peterborough Public Health

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

Confirmed positive: 73 (no change from May 14)
Confirmed negative: Data currently unavailable*
Results pending: Data currently unavailable*
Deaths: 2 (no change from from May 14)
Resolved: 67 (increase of 3 from May 14)
Total tests completed: Over 6,350*
Institutional outbreaks: Kawartha Heights Retirement Living in Peterborough (decrease of 1 from May 14)**

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

**The outbreak at St. Joseph’s at Fleming in Peterborough was declared over on May 15.

 

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: 163, including 141 in Kawartha Lakes, 15 in Northumberland, 7 in Haliburton (increase of 2 from May 14)
Probable cases: 0 (decrease of 5 from May 14)
Hospitalizations: 11 (no change from May 14)
Deaths: 32, including 28 at Pinecrest Nursing Home in Bobcaygeon (no change from May 14)
Resolved: 132 (increase of 3 from May 14)
Institutional outbreaks: Caressant Care Lindsay, Maplewood Nursing Home in Brighton, Kawartha Lakes Retirement Residence in Bobcaygeon*

*Number of cases not provided.

 

Hastings Prince Edward Public Health

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

Confirmed positive: 42 (no change from May 14)
Probable cases: 182 (no change from May 14)
Deaths: 5 (no change from May 14)
Hospitalized: 1 (no change from May 14)
Hospitalized and in ICU: 1 (no change from May 14)
Hospitalized and in ICU on ventilator: 0 (no change from May 14)
Recovered: 28 (increase of 1 from May 14)
Total tests completed: 5,644 (increase of 332 from May 14)
Institutional outbreaks: None*

*An outbreak at Hastings Manor in Belleville was declared over on May 14.

 

Province of Ontario

Confirmed positive: 21,922 (increase of 428 from May 14)*
Hospitalized: 986 (decrease of 40 from May 14)
Hospitalized and in ICU: 179 (decrease of 5 from May 14)
Hospitalized and in ICU on ventilator: 135 (decrease of 6 from May 14)
Deaths: 1,825 (increase of 27 from May 14)
Total tests completed 510,841 (increase of 18,354 from May 14)
Tests under investigation: 14,373 (decrease of 3,205 from May 14)
Resolved: 16,641 (increase of 437 from May 14)

*Includes 87 cases not reported on May 14 due to a data upload error. Actual cases are 345 on May 14 and 341 on May 15.

Confirmed cases of COVID-19 in Ontario by public health unit, January 15 - May 14, 2020. (Graphic: Public Health Ontario)
Confirmed cases of COVID-19 in Ontario by public health unit, January 15 – May 14, 2020. (Graphic: Public Health Ontario)

 

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

Outdoor fires allowed again in Ontario’s legislated fire region starting Saturday

By kawarthaNOW -

Just in time for the Victoria Day long weekend, the Ontario government is allowing people to have outdoor fires in Ontario’s legislated fire region.

Effective at 12:01 a.m. on Saturday, May 16th, the province is lifting the restricted fire zone designation that was put in place on April 2nd due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Ontario’s legislated fire region is a series of 36 zones stretching from all of northern Ontario to portions of central Ontario. In the Kawarthas, the fire region includes Haliburton County and northern portions of Hastings County, the City of Kawartha Lakes, and Peterborough County.

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The province will continue to assess forest fire hazard conditions and an restricted fire zone designation may be reinstated in higher risk areas if conditions deteriorate.

“Although we want people to enjoy themselves, lifting the restricted fire zone designation does not mean we can let our guard down when it comes to preventing human-caused forest fires,” says natural resources minister John Yakabuski.

The lifting of the restricted fire zone designation means that outdoor fires are allowed again, except in any municipalities where a local burn ban is in place.

To help deal with any forest fires during the COVID-19 pandemic, the government has increased in base funding for emergency forest firefighting by $30.2 million.

The province is also ensuring safety measures are in place to protect Ontario’s fire rangers from COVID-19. Fire rangers will be required to follow the health and safety guidelines recommended by the Chief Medical Officer of Health, such as physical distancing, frequent hand washing, and daily self-assessments by staff.

The government has also implemented a more aggressive approach to fighting wildland fires this season with a focus on detecting fires early.

Port Hope Farmers’ Market opens on Saturday

By kawarthaNOW -
The Port Hope Farmers' Market takes place on Saturdays in the parking lot behind Town Hall at 56 Queen Street in downtown Port Hope. In 2020, the market opens on May 16, 2020 with food vendors only and will run from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. (Photo: Port Hope Farmers' Market / Facebook)

The Port Hope Farmers’ Market is opening for the season on Saturday, May 16th.

The market takes place from 8 a.m. to 1 p.m. in the parking lot behind Town Hall at 56 Queen Street in downtown Port Hope.

It will open with food vendors only, and there will be a curbside pickup area. The market will be following strict safety protocols from the Haliburton, Kawartha, Pine Ridge District Health Unit.

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If you are feeling ill, you should not visit the market. If you are healthy, you are asked to follow these guidelines:

  • Follow the directions of food market organizers.
  • If picking up food items on foot, practise physical distancing by staying two metres (six feet) from other customers and vendors.
  • Minimize time at the market by preparing a list in advance.
  • If possible, use alcohol-based sanitizer after pickup at each vendor.
  • Avoid touching your face.
  • Wearing a homemade (cloth) mask is optional; these masks will not protect you from the virus but may help prevent you from spreading the virus if you are asymptomatic.
  • After returning home, wash your hands with soap and water for 20 seconds.
  • As always, wash produce with running water before eating or preparing food.

Shoppers are reminded not to gather or loiter at the market. After making essential purchases, shoppers are asked to return home so that others may attend and to prevent large group gatherings from being formed.

The public washrooms on the Town Hall grounds will be open for use. Physical distancing inside the washrooms must always be maintained.

For more information about the Port Hope Farmers’ Market, visit their Facebook page.

First COVID-19 patient at Peterborough Regional Health Centre goes home

By kawarthaNOW -
Darlene, the first patient to be admitted to Peterborough Regional Health Centre with COVID-19, is clapped out as she leaves the hospital. Darlene spend 25 days in the intensive care unit on a ventilator, as well as three weeks on an inpatient unit. She recently tested negative for COVID-19 and was discharged to go home. (Screenshot / PRHC / Facebook)

The Peterborough Regional Health Centre (PRHC) has shared a Facebook video of the recovery of Darlene, the first patient to be admitted to PRHC with COVID-19.

Darlene spend 25 days in the intensive care unit on a ventilator, as well as three weeks on an inpatient unit.

She was recently discharged to go home after testing negative for COVID-19.

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The video shows Darlene being clapped out of the hospital as she thanks PRHC staff.

“Everybody was determined I was going to live — and I did,” Darlene says in the video.

“The fight and determination from the ICU and from Jen (nodding to the woman sitting beside her). You guys are fabulous, just fabulous.”

“Ah, the light of day!” Darlene says as she leaves the hospital.

Watch the video below.

VIDEO: Darlene goes home after COVID-19

Going home after COVID-19

Darlene was the first patient to be admitted to Peterborough Regional Health Centre with COVID-19. After 25 days in the Intensive Care Unit (ICU) on a ventilator and three weeks on an inpatient unit, she was discharged home after testing negative for COVID-19. Hear from Darlene about her experience.

Posted by Peterborough Regional Health Centre on Friday, May 15, 2020

Interest-free loans now available for small businesses ineligible for other COVID-19 federal relief programs

By Bruce Head -
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau announcing the new Regional Relief and Recovery Fund in Ottawa on May 13, 2020. The funding is intended to support businesses impacted by COVID-19 that have been unable to access other federal government relief programs. (Screenshot / CPAC)

Small and medium-sized businesses across southern Ontario that haven’t been eligible for other federal government COVID-19 business relief programs now have another option.

On Wednesday (May 13), Prime Minister Justin Trudeau announced the federal government’s new $1-billion Regional Relief and Recovery Fund (RRRF) for businesses across Canada.

In southern Ontario, $252.4 million will be available for businesses that do not qualify for already announced programs, such as the wage subsidy program, the Canada Emergency Business Account, and the Business Credit Availability Program.

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These businesses could include sole proprietorships and those that do not have a payroll system, or businesses that were declined support under existing federal relief programs for other reasons.

The RRRF will be administered by FedDev Ontario in partnership with Community Futures Development Corporations (CFDC) across the region including — in the Kawarthas — Community Futures Peterborough, Kawartha Lakes CFDC, Northumberland CFDC, Haliburton County CFDC, and CFDC of North & Central Hastings & South Algonquin.

“We have shared the messages from our small businesses that many just don’t fit into the programs the government has rolled out thus far,” says Gail Moorhouse, executive director of Community Futures Peterborough. “The Regional Relief and Recovery Fund will address the needs of the sole proprietor and main street businesses that are vital to renewing our local economy.”

Of the $252.4 million in the RRRF, $213 million will be available for small and medium-sized businesses facing financial pressure because of COVID-19, and $39.4 million will be available for rural businesses that need access to capital and technical support.

The $213 million in funding will be delivered by FedDev Ontario and is available for Canadian or provincially incorporated businesses, co-operatives, or indigenous-owned businesses located in southern Ontario with 1 to 499 full-time equivalent employees. The businesses must have been viable before the COVID-19 pandemic and plan to continue to operate their business or resume operations, but face funding pressures with fixed operating costs as a result of COVID-19.

Two funding options are available through FedDev Ontario. The first is an interest-free loan of up to $40,000, with no payments required until December 31, 2020. Up to 25 per cent (up to $10,000) of the loan will be forgiven if 75 per cent (up to $30,000) is paid back by December 31, 2022. If 75 per cent is not repaid by December 31, 2022, the balance of the loan will be converted to a three-year loan with a fixed repayment schedule, with full payment required no later than December 31, 2025.

The second funding option available exclusively through FedDev Ontario is a fully repayable interest-free loan of up to $500,000, with no payments required until December 31, 2022.

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The $39.4 million in funding for rural businesses will be delivered by local CFDCs, and will be focused on “main street” businesses such as retail shops, restaurants, corner stores and other businesses of strategic importance to their communities.

Interest-free loans of up to $40,000 will be available, with no payments required until December 31, 2020. Up to 25 per cent (up to $10,000) of the loan will be forgiven if 75 per cent (up to $30,000) is paid back by December 31, 2022. If 75 per cent is not repaid by December 31, 2022, the balance of the loan will be converted to a three-year loan with a fixed repayment schedule, with full payment required no later than December 31, 2025.

The amount of the loan will be based on three months of eligible costs, or $40,000, whichever is less.

Eligible businesses for CFDC loans must have been established prior to March 1, 2020, must be adversely impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic, must be viable and not experiencing other financial difficulties prior to March 1, 2020, and must have attempted to access other federal relief support programs and were ineligible, rejected, or require funding for expenses that have not been supported.

Priority will be given to applicants who were ineligible or rejected from other federal relief supports. A business may apply to both FedDev Ontario and a CFDC, but cannot receive RRRF funding from both. Businesses that require more than $40,000 should apply directly to FedDev Ontario rather than their local CFDC.

For all RRRF loans, eligible fixed operating costs include capital lease payments, salaries and benefits or wages, property taxes, utilities, bank charges and interest payments, professional fees, monthly insurance payments, and rent.

Applications will be reviewed on a first-come, first-served basis until RRRF funding is fully committed.

For more information, including how to apply, visit FedDev Ontario’s website at feddevontario.gc.ca/eic/site/723.nsf/eng/h_02581.html.

Police seek woman who claimed to be community nurse and stole fetanyl from Bridgenorth home

By kawarthaNOW -

Peterborough County OPP are looking for a woman who claimed to be a community nurse and then allegedly stole a fentanyl patch from a home in Bridgenorth.

On Tuesday (May 12) at around 10 a.m., the woman visited the victim’s home and said she was completing wellness checks on elderly people in the neighbourhood.

She was allowed to enter the home and to check the victim’s vital signs. The suspect was in the home for around 20 minutes. After the woman left, the victim discovered a fentanyl patch was missing from their medications.

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The suspect is described as being a female between 30 and 40 years of age, 5’5″ to 5’6″ tall with blond hair and a medium build. She was wearing a personal protective mask.

Investigators are actively looking for information that may lead to a suspect in this case.

Anyone with tips on this case can contact the Peterborough County OPP at 705-742-0401, the non-emergency line 1-888-310-1122, or Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-TIPS (8477).

Daily COVID-19 update for Peterborough and the greater Kawarthas region – May 14, 2020

By kawarthaNOW -

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

Here’s today summary: there are 73 confirmed positive cases in the Peterborough area, 140 in the City of Kawartha Lakes, 14 in Northumberland County, 7 in Haliburton County, and 42 in Hastings County and Prince Edward County.

That’s an increase of 1 case from yesterday’s report, with 1 new case in Kawartha Lakes.

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

Outbreaks have been declared over at Pinecrest Nursing Home in Bobcaygeon and at Hastings Manor in Belleville. A new outbreak at Kawartha Lakes Retirement Residence in Bobcaygeon was declared on May 12 after one staff person tested positive.

Province-wide, there are 21,494 confirmed cases, an increase of 258 from yesterday, with 16,204 cases resolved, an increase of 359 from yesterday. There have been 1,798 deaths, an increase of 33 from yesterday. A total of 492,487 tests have been completed, an increase of 17,429 from yesterday, with 17,578 tests under investigation, an increase of 4,183 from yesterday.

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

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

 

Peterborough Public Health

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

Confirmed positive: 73 (no change from May 13)
Confirmed negative: Data currently unavailable*
Results pending: Data currently unavailable*
Deaths: 2 (no change from from May 13)
Resolved: 67 (increase of 3 from May 13)
Total tests completed: Over 6,250*
Institutional outbreaks: St. Joseph’s at Fleming, Kawartha Heights Retirement Living (no change from May 13)**

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

**Number of cases not provided.

 

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: 161, including 140 in Kawartha Lakes, 14 in Northumberland, 7 in Haliburton (increase of 1 from May 13)
Probable cases: 5 (increase of 1 from May 13)
Hospitalizations: 11 (no change from May 13)
Deaths: 32, including 28 in Pinecrest Nursing Home in Bobcaygeon (no change from May 13)
Resolved: 129 (increase of 2 from May 13)
Institutional outbreaks: Caressant Care Lindsay, Maplewood Nursing Home in Brighton, Kawartha Lakes Retirement Residence in Bobcaygeon*

*An outbreak at Kawartha Lakes Retirement Residence in Bobcaygeon was declared on May 12 after one staff person tested positive for COVID-19. An outbreak at Pinecrest Nursing Home in Bobcaygeon was declared over on May 14.

 

Hastings Prince Edward Public Health

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

Confirmed positive: 42 (no change from May 13)
Probable cases: 182 (no change from May 13)
Deaths: 5 (no change from May 13)
Hospitalized: 1 (no change from May 13)
Hospitalized and in ICU: 1 (no change from May 13)
Hospitalized and in ICU on ventilator: 0 (no change from May 13)
Recovered: 27 (increase of 1 from May 13)
Total tests completed: 5,312 (increase of 281 from May 13)
Institutional outbreaks: None*

*An outbreak at Hastings Manor in Belleville was declared over on May 13.

 

Province of Ontario

Confirmed positive: 21,494 (increase of 258 from May 13)
Hospitalized: 1,026 (increase of 8 from May 13)
Hospitalized and in ICU: 184 (decrease of 5 from May 13)
Hospitalized and in ICU on ventilator: 141 (decrease of 1 from May 13)
Deaths: 1,798 (increase of 33 from May 13)
Total tests completed 492,487 (increase of 17,429 from May 13)
Tests under investigation: 17,578 (increase of 4,183 from May 13)
Resolved: 16,204 (increase of 359 from May 13)

Confirmed cases of COVID-19 in Ontario by public health unit, January 15 - May 13, 2020. (Graphic: Public Health Ontario)
Confirmed cases of COVID-19 in Ontario by public health unit, January 15 – May 13, 2020. (Graphic: Public Health Ontario)

 

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

Pinecrest Nursing Home in Bobcaygeon is free of COVID-19

By kawarthaNOW -
A health care worker at Pinecrest Nursing Home in Bobcaygeon, Ontario responds to passing cars honking support on Tuesday, March 31, 2020. (Photo: Fred Thornhill / The Canadian Press)

The COVID-19 outbreak at Pinecrest Nursing Home in Bobcaygeon is now over.

The home’s administrator Mary Carr made the announcement in an email on Thursday afternoon (May 14).

“It is with great pleasure that I can announce the outbreak in our home is over,” Carr writes. “Earlier this morning, Public Health confirmed with our Director of Care that all residents have been free of symptoms for 14 or more days. ”

VIDEO: Pinecrest Nursing Home celebrates end of COVID-19 outbreak

Since it was first declared on March 18th, the COVID-19 outbreak has claimed the lives of 28 residents at the home. The last death of a Pinecrest resident occurred on April 9th.

“The COVID-19 pandemic is the greatest challenge we have seen in our home,” Carr writes. “I want to thank the Bobcaygeon community, our dedicated staff, residents’ families, and health system partners for their support. I’ve mentioned previously that we will get through the outbreak by standing together, and today, this has proven true.”

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Carr says that, despite the positive news, all ongoing infection control and prevention measures will remain in place to ensure the continued health and safety of residents and staff. The home will remain closed to non-essential visitors, and meals will continue to be served to residents in their rooms.

The home will also continue its daily screening procedures, and residents will be asked to remain in their rooms unless out for walks. Staff members wearing full personal protective equipment will continue to deep clean all resident areas in the building with the support of Ross Memorial Hospital’s environmental services team.

 

This story has been updated to include a video supplied by Pinecrest Nursing Home.

Ontario golf courses, private campgrounds, and marinas among businesses to reopen for Victoria Day weekend

By kawarthaNOW -

The Ontario government has announced that golf courses, private campgrounds, and marinas are among the businesses that will be allowed to reopen on Saturday (May 16), just in time for the Victoria Day long weekend.

Premier Doug Ford made the announcement at Queen’s Park on Thursday afternoon (May 14) along with health minister Christine Elliott, finance minister Rod Phillips, economic development minister Vic Fedeli, and labour minister Monte McNaughton.

“During the last several weeks, the people of Ontario have been called on to make incredible sacrifices to help us stop the spread of COVID-19, including staying home from work, closing down businesses and going without a regular paycheque,” Ford said. “However, we are reopening even more of our businesses beginning this long weekend. We are taking a cautious, balanced approach to our economic reopening, to protect the health and safety of everyone.”

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Beginning at 12:01 a.m. on Saturday, May 16th:

  • Golf courses will be able to open, with clubhouses open only for washrooms and restaurants open only for take-out.
  • Marinas, boat clubs, and public boat launches may open for recreational use.
  • Private parks and campgrounds may open to enable preparation for the season and to allow access for trailers and recreational vehicles whose owners have a full-season contract.
  • Businesses that board animals, such as stables, may allow boarders to visit, care for, or ride their animals.

The government also announced that stage one of Ontario’s framework to reopen the economy will begin just after midnight on Tuesday (May 19), when retail stores that are not in shopping malls and have separate street-front entrances can reopen.

These businesses will be required to have measures in place that can enable physical distancing, such as limiting the number of customers in the store at any one time and booking appointments beforehand or on the spot. Clothing retailers will only be able to use fitting rooms with doors, not curtains, to facilitate disinfecting. Retailers would restrict use to every second fitting room at any one time to allow for cleaning after use and ensure physical distancing.

Seasonal businesses and recreational activities for individual or single competitors, including training and sport competitions conducted by a recognized national or provincial sport organization, can resume. This includes indoor and outdoor non-team sport competitions that can be played while maintaining physical distancing and without spectators, such as tennis, track and field, and horse racing.

Marinas, boat clubs, and public boat launches may open for recreational use as of 12:01 a.m. on May 16, 2020.
Marinas, boat clubs, and public boat launches may open for recreational use as of 12:01 a.m. on May 16, 2020.

Animal services — specifically pet care services including pet grooming, pet sitting, dog walking, and pet training — can resume. Off-leash dog parks can reopen. Veterinarians can resume all services by appointment.

Indoor and outdoor household services that can follow public health guidelines can also resume business. These include housekeepers, babysitters, cooks, house and window cleaning, and general repairs.

Other businesses that can fully reopen include vehicle dealerships and retailers, as well as office-based media operations that cannot be done remotely (such as film and television studios and video game studios — although filming and other on-site activities requiring the gathering of workers, performers, and others are not allowed under stage one) and general maintenance and repair services (such as appliances).

Libraries can now offer pick-up and delivery.

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Certain health and medical services can also resume, such as in-person counselling and scheduled surgeries. This is based on the ability to meet the conditions outlined in the framework announced by the Ontario government on May 7th. That framework requires hospitals to have a stable number of COVID-19 cases, a stable supply of personal protective equipment, a stable supply of medications, adequate capacity of inpatient and intensive care unit beds, an adequate capacity of health human resources, and the availability of post-acute care outside the hospital that would be required to support patients after discharge.

Non-essential professional services related to conducting research and experimental development in physical, engineering, and life sciences (such as biotechnology, agriculture and industrial research and development labs) can resume.

Emissions inspection facilities will be allowed to conduct heavy vehicle emissions testing.

Essential construction limits will also be lifted, allowing all construction in Ontario to resume, including land surveyors.

“I want to be clear that businesses should open only if they’re ready — I’ll repeat that — only if they’re ready,” Ford said. “We need to keep in mind that all of this is dependent on the numbers. The truth is, we can’t fully predict where things will go, so we need to be ready to react if we see a sudden increase in cases. We cannot let our guard down now. We must watch the trends like a hawk.”

To support business owners and workers, the Ontario government has launched a website to provide businesses with information on personal protective equipment (PPE) suppliers. The Workplace PPE Supplier Directory has an up-to-date list of Ontario companies and business associations that are ready to supply personal protective equipment.

The government says that Ontario’s Chief Medical Officer of Health will closely monitor the situation to advise the government when certain public health restrictions, including adjustments to social gatherings, can be gradually loosened or if they need to be tightened.

In the past two weeks, the Ontario government has already eased restrictions on selected businesses, allowing garden centres and nurseries and hardware and safety supply stores to open and all retail stores with a street entrance to offer curbside pick-up and delivery. Ontario also reopened provincial parks for limited day use only.

The Ontario government will be providing an update on school closures and child care early next week.

 

PDF: “A Framework for Reopening our Province – Stage 1” – Government of Ontario

A Framework for Reopening our Province - Stage 1 - Government of Ontario

 

This story has been updated with additional details about the stage one reopening of Ontario’s economy.

Havelock Country Jamboree cancelled due to COVID-19 pandemic

By kawarthaNOW -
The Havelock Country Jamboree, Canada's largest country music camping festival, has been cancelled due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The 31st annual has been scheduled to take place from August 13th to 16th in Havelock, Ontario. (Photo: Anita Bell / Havelock Country Jamboree)

The Havelock Country Jamboree has been cancelled for 2020.

Canada’s largest country music camping festival, the 31st annual event has been scheduled to run from August 13th to 16th.

“With the current COVID-19 restrictions, the safety of our fans, amazing volunteers, sponsors, vendors, staff and neighbours is paramount,” organizers write on the Havelock Country Jamboree website. “Therefore, with heavy hearts, we have decided to reschedule The Havelock Country Jamboree to August 19 – August 22, 2021. Although this breaks our hearts to have to postpone our event we know it’s the right thing to do to ensure the safety of everyone involved.”

All 2020 tickets will be automatically honoured for the rescheduled 2021 date, according to organizers.

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More than 25 acts has been scheduled to perform, including Chris Janson, Blue Rodeo, Tim Hicks, Roots & Boots, Hunter Brothers, Mackenzie Porter, Cory Marks, Dan Davidson, Kira Isabella, The Grand Tour – Gil Grand, The Good Brothers, Kelly Prescott, Tracey Brown & Randall Prescott of The Family Brown, The Western Swing Authority, Mudmen, Singing Soldiers, Jesse Slack, Gain McLeod, and Small Town Girls.

The festival, which has featured more than 4,200 musicians over the past 30 years, has received the Festivals of Distinction Award from Festival & Events Ontario for five years in a row.

The festival attracts over 100,000 people every year, including both day visitors and campers.

This is the second major tourist event to be cancelled in Peterborough County. On Tuesday (May 12), organizers announced the cancellation of Peterborough Musicfest, Canada’s longest-running free-admission outdoor summer concert series.

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