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

Here’s today summary: there are 61 confirmed positive cases in the Peterborough area, 118 in the City of Kawartha Lakes, 13 in Northumberland County, 7 in Haliburton County, and 37 in Hastings County and Prince Edward County.

That’s an increase of 2 cases from yesterday’s report, with 1 additional case in Peterborough and 1 additional case in Kawartha Lakes.

There have been 34 deaths, with the last reported death in Peterborough on Sunday, April 12th.

Province-wide, there are 13,519 confirmed cases, an increase of 640 from yesterday’s report, and 763 deaths, an increase of 50 from yesterday’s report. A total of 207,040 tests have been completed, an increase of 12,295 from yesterday’s report, with 5,414 cases under investigation.

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

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

Peterborough Public Health

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

Confirmed positive: 61 (increase of 1 from April 23)
Confirmed negative: 1,958 (increase of 195 from April 23)
Results pending: 419 (increase of 10 from April 23)
Deaths: 1 (no change from April 23)
Resolved: 40 (increase of 3 from April 23)
Total tests completed: 2,438 s(increase of 186 from April 23)
Institutional Outbreaks: St. Joseph’s at Fleming, St. John’s Senior Centre*

*Number of cases not reported.

Haliburton, Kawartha, Pine Ridge District Health Unit

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

Confirmed positive: 138, including 118 in Kawartha Lakes, 13 in Northumberland, 7 in Haliburton (increase of 1 from April 23)
Hospitalizations: 10 (no change from April 23)
Deaths: 32, including 28 in Pinecrest Nursing Home in Bobcaygeon (no change from April 23)
Resolved: 103 (increase of 5 from April 23)
Institutional Outbreaks: Pinecrest Nursing Home, Ross Memorial Hospital* (no change from April 23)

*Number of cases not reported.

Hastings Prince Edward Public Health

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

Confirmed positive: 37 (no change from April 23)
Probable cases: 235 (decrease of 3 from April 23)
Deaths: 1 (no change from April 23)
Hospitalized: 6 (no change from April 23)
Hospitalized and in ICU: 2 (no change from April 23)
Hospitalized and in ICU on ventilator: 0 (decrease of 1 from April 23)
Recovered: 17
Institutional Outbreaks: Hastings Manor (Belleville)*

*Number of cases not reported.

Province of Ontario

Confirmed positive: 13,519 (increase of 640 from April 23)
Hospitalized: 910 (increase of 23 from April 23)
Hospitalized and in ICU: 243 (increase of 10 from April 23)
Hospitalized and in ICU on ventilator: 193 (increase of 8 from April 23)
Deaths: 763 (increase of 50 from April 23)
Total tests completed 207,040 (increase of 12,295 from April 23)
Tests under investigation: 5,414 (decrease of 1,343 from April 23)
Resolved: 7,087 (increase of 407 from April 23)

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

If you were planning to head to the Ganaraska River in Port Hope for the opening of the trout fishing season on Saturday (April 25), you’ll need to change your plans.

Because of the COVID-19 pandemic, the Municipality of Port Hope has closed all municipal lands and parks bordering the Ganaraska River, and the Ganaraska Region Conservation Authority (GRCA) has closed all of its properties that border the river. The closures remain in effect until May 12th as per the Ontario government’s emergency orders.

The annual opening of the spring trout fishing season attracts hundreds of anglers to Port Hope to fish the “Ganny”. The river is one of Ontario’s most popular fishing destinations, with a steelhead and rainbow trout run in the spring and a chinook salmon run in the late summer and early fall.

As most of the upper river is located on private property, anglers usually access the river from properties owned by the municipality and the GRCA.

According to a media release from Port Hope, municipal council and staff have received many emails throughout March and April, both from tourists asking where they can fish on the Ganaraska River and from residents concerned about a large influx of anglers to the community during a period where the Ontario government has ordered the closure of recreational activities and limited gatherings to five or fewer people.

However, the Ontario Ministry of Natural Resources and Forestry, which regulates hunting and fishing in the province, has not postponed the opening of any of the seasons so far this year.

At its meeting on Tuesday, April 7th, Port Hope council authorized a request to the ministry to consider postponing or cancelling the April 25th opening of the trout fishing season, but has not received a response.

“Restricting access to the Ganaraska River was not council’s ideal scenario, nor the first choice for the community,” the media release from Port Hope reads. “The municipality does not have the ability to restrict or prohibit fishing, as this is regulated by the Province; however, it does have the ability to restrict access to municipal properties.”

“After consultation with the GCRA, it was determined that the best way to limit the number of group gatherings along the river is to restrict all access to municipal and GRCA properties in this area.”

A side effect of this decision is that the trail network is also closed.

“Given all of the other restrictions and closures in our community, this closure is understandably difficult,” reads the media release. “The fencing and barricades are unsightly, and it is certainly disrupting routines. However, it was necessary to discourage non-essential travel to our municipality.”

Other trails in the Port Hope area, including the waterfront trail and the Monkey Mountain trail network, remain open for public use as long as physical distancing directives are followed.

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

Here’s today summary: there are 60 confirmed positive cases in the Peterborough area, 117 in the City of Kawartha Lakes, 13 in Northumberland County, 7 in Haliburton County, and 37 in Hastings County and Prince Edward County.

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

A new COVID-19 outbreak has been declared at St. John’s Centre, a retirement home in Peterborough. Additional details are not yet available.

There have been 34 deaths, with the last reported death was in Peterborough on Sunday, April 12th. This is a reduction of 1 death from yesterday’s report — the death of a Pinecrest resident previously attributed to COVID-19 is now deemed to be unrelated, as the resident had a negative COVID-19 test result.

Province-wide, there are 12,879 confirmed cases, an increase of 634 from yesterday’s report, and 713 deaths, an increase of 54 from yesterday’s report. A total of 194,745 tests have been completed, an increase of 10,214 from yesterday’s report, with 6,757 cases under investigation.

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

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

Peterborough Public Health

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

Confirmed positive: 60 (increase of 1 from April 22)
Confirmed negative: 1,763 (increase of 89 from April 22)
Results pending: 429 (increase of 22 from April 22)
Deaths: 1 (no change from April 22)
Resolved: 38 (increase of 2 from April 22)
Total tests completed: 2,252 (increase of 102 from April 22)
Institutional Outbreaks: St. Joseph’s at Fleming, St. John’s Centre*

*Number of cases not reported.

Haliburton, Kawartha, Pine Ridge District Health Unit

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

Confirmed positive: 137, including 117 in Kawartha Lakes, 13 in Northumberland, 7 in Haliburton (no change from April 22)
Hospitalizations: 10 (no change from April 22)
Deaths: 32, including 28 in Pinecrest Nursing Home in Bobcaygeon*
Resolved: 98 (no change from April 22)
Institutional Outbreaks: Pinecrest Nursing Home, Ross Memorial Hospital* (no change from April 22)

*The death of one Pinecrest resident previously attributed to COVID-19 is now deemed to be unrelated, as the resident had a negative COVID-19 test result. The decision was made in consultation with provincial public health authorities.
**Number of cases not reported.

Hastings Prince Edward Public Health

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

Confirmed positive: 37 (increase of 1 from April 22)
Probable cases: 238 (increase of 4 from April 22)
Deaths: 1 (no change from April 22)
Hospitalized: 6*
Hospitalized and in ICU: 2*
Hospitalized and in ICU on ventilator: 1*
Institutional Outbreaks: Hastings Manor (Belleville)**

*This is a new statistic publicly reported by the health unit as of April 23
**Number of cases not reported.

Province of Ontario

Confirmed positive: 12,879 (increase of 634 from April 22)
Hospitalized: 887 (increase of 9 from April 22)
Hospitalized and in ICU: 233 (decrease of 10 from April 22)
Hospitalized and in ICU on ventilator: 185 (decrease of 7 from April 22)
Deaths: 713 (increase of 54 from April 22)
Total tests completed 194,745 (increase of 10,214 from April 22)
Tests under investigation: 6,757 (decrease of 88 from April 22)
Resolved: 6,680 (increase of 459 from April 22)

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

The Peterborough Downtown Business Improvement Area (DBIA) has cancelled the Taste of Downtown event for 2020.

Originally scheduled for Saturday, June 6th, the annual event takes place on Charlotte Street in downtown Peterborough and features more than 20 local restaurants, live entertainment, a beer garden, and family activities.

“The most important thing right now is that people look after themselves, stay safe, and stay home,” says DBIA executive director Terry Guiel.

“Rest assured, when we get through this crisis and it’s safe to hold events again, we’re going to host a big party downtown and everyone’s invited.”

The event is scheduled to return on June 5, 2021.

On Wednesday (April 22), Prime Minister Justin Trudeau announced a $9 billion package of economic support for post-secondary students and recent graduates affected by the COVID-19 pandemic.

Ever since the announcement of the Canada Emergency Response Benefit, which provides $2,000 per month for people who have stopped working or lost income due to COVID-19, the federal government had been promising additional financial support for students who are not eligible for that benefit.

“Right now, you might be worried about how to make ends meet,” Trudeau said. “You probably can’t work your normal job, and that might be a big problem for rent or for groceries. So we’re bringing in the Canada Emergency Student Benefit to help.”

The Canada Emergency Student Benefit would provide $1,250 per month for eligible students, or $1,750 per month for eligible students with dependents or disabilities.

The benefit would be retroactive to May 1st and available until August, and would be delivered through the Canada Revenue Agency.

As with the Canada Emergency Response Benefit, recipients of the Canada Emergency Student Benefit would be able to earn up to $1,000 per month without effecting their eligibility for the benefit.

Trudeau also announced the new Canada Student Service Grant, which will provide between $1,000 and $5,000 to students who choose to volunteer over the summer.

The new measures will come into effect after legislation is introduced and approved in Parliament.

The federal government is also expanding existing its federal employment, skills development, and youth programming to create up to 116,000 jobs, placements, and other training opportunities to help students find employment.

Other measures in the $9 billion package include:

• doubling the Canada Student Grants, including grants for students with dependents or disabilities, for all eligible full-time students to up to $6,000 and up to $3,600 for part-time students in 2020-21
• broadening the eligibility for student financial assistance by removing the expected student’s and spouse’s contributions in 2020-21
• enhancing the Canada Student Loans Program by raising from $210 to $350 the maximum weekly amount that can be provided to a student in 2020-21
• providing an additional $75.2 million in 2020-21 for First Nations, Inuit, and Métis Nation students pursuing post-secondary education
• providing $291.6 million to federal granting councils to support students and post-doctoral fellows by extending expiring federal graduate research scholarships and postdoctoral fellowships, and to supplement existing federal research grants.

During a media briefing on Wednesday (April 22), Ontario Premier Doug Ford refused to commit to begin loosening COVID-19 emergency measures by the Victoria Day weekend, despite suggesting earlier in the day that might happen.

“I don’t have a crystal ball and neither does anyone else,” Ford said. “If we keep seeing the curve flatten and start heading southward, we can start opening up a little bit at a time. But I can’t predict a month down the road.”

Earlier on Wednesday during an interview with Bill Caroll on Newstalk 580 CFRA in Ottawa, Ford had said he hoped some measures could be loosened by Victoria Day (May 18) — the unofficial start of summer in Canada.

At his media briefing, Ford clarified that any loosening of restrictions would be based on the advice of Ontario’s chief medical of health, and that it would happen “very, very slowly.”

“Please have patience, even in regions where there might not be any COVID cases,” Ford said. “We just want to open up the economy very slowly. We’ll get there, and once we get there, we’ll light a fire under the economy.”

On Thursday (April 23), the government announced it would be extending until Wednesday, May 6th all emergency orders made to date under the Emergency Management and Civil Protection Act. Although the state of emergency has already been extended until May 12th, the provisions of the legislation only allow the extension of emergency orders in 14-day increments.

The extension includes the closure of outdoor amenities in parks and recreational areas, non-essential workplaces, public places and bars and restaurants, along with restrictions on social gatherings and limiting staff from working in more than one retirement home or long-term care home.

“We are making steady progress in our battle against this deadly virus, but we are not out of the woods by a long shot,” Premier Doug Ford said. “It is absolutely necessary to extend these emergency orders to continue keeping all Ontarians safe and healthy.”

“Every effort made by each of us to stay home, practise physical distancing and wash your hands has been, and will continue to be, the key to stopping the spread of this virus.”

The Ontario government has also introduced a new emergency measure to allow Ontario’s 600 mental health and addictions agencies to redeploy staff within different locations or between programs, and to employ extra part-time staff, temporary staff, or contractors during the COVID-19 outbreak.

Here is the complete list of emergency orders that have been extended until May 6, 2020:

• Closure of establishments
• Prohibiting public events and gatherings or more than five people
• Work deployment measures for health care workers
• Drinking water and sewage
• Electronic service of documents
• Work deployment for long-term care homes
• Off-peak electricity pricing
• Closure of places of non-essential businesses
• Traffic management
• Streamlining requirements for long-term care homes
• Prohibiting unfair pricing on necessary goods
• Closure of outdoor recreational amenities
• Enforcement of orders
• Work deployment for boards of health
• Work deployment measures in retirement homes
• Access to COVID-19 status information by specified persons
• Service agencies providing services and supports to adults with developmental disabilities
• Pick up and delivery of cannabis
• Signatures in wills and powers of attorney
• Use of force and firearms in policing services
• Child care fees
• Agreements between health service providers and retirement homes
• Temporary health or residential facilities
• Closure of public lands for recreational camping
• Work deployment measures for service agencies providing violence against women residential services and crisis line services
• Limiting work to a single long-term care home
• Work deployment for district social services administration boards
• Deployment of employees of service provider organizations
• Work deployment measures for municipalities
• Limiting work to a single retirement home

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

Here’s today summary: there are 59 confirmed positive cases in the Peterborough area, 117 in the City of Kawartha Lakes, 13 in Northumberland County, 7 in Haliburton County, and 36 in Hastings County and Prince Edward County.

That’s an increase of 5 cases from yesterday’s report, with 3 additional cases in Kawartha Lakes and 2 additional cases in Hastings County and Prince Edward County.

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

Province-wide, there are 12,245 confirmed cases, an increase of 510 from yesterday’s report, and 659 deaths, an increase of 37 from yesterday’s report. A total of 184,531 tests have been completed, an increase of 10,361 from yesterday’s report, with 6,845 cases under investigation.

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

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

Peterborough Public Health

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

Confirmed positive: 59 (no change from April 21)
Confirmed negative: 1,674 (increase of 61 from April 21)
Results pending: 417 (increase of 57 from April 21)
Deaths: 1 (no change from April 21)
Resolved: 36 (increase of 5 from April 21)
Total tests completed: 2,150 (increase of 118 from April 21)
Institutional Outbreaks: St. Joseph’s at Fleming*

*Number of cases not reported.

Haliburton, Kawartha, Pine Ridge District Health Unit

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

Confirmed positive: 137, including 117 in Kawartha Lakes, 13 in Northumberland, 7 in Haliburton (increase of 3 from April 21)
Hospitalizations: 10 (decrease of 2 from April 21)
Deaths: 33, including 29 in Pinecrest Nursing Home in Bobcaygeon (no change from April 21)
Resolved: 98 (increase of 1 from April 21)
Institutional Outbreaks: Pinecrest Nursing Home, Ross Memorial Hospital* (no change from April 21)

*Number of cases not reported.

Hastings Prince Edward Public Health

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

Confirmed positive: 36 (increase of 2 from April 21)
Probable cases: 234 (decrease of 11 from April 21)
Deaths: 1
Institutional Outbreaks: Hastings Manor (Belleville)*

*Number of cases not reported.

Province of Ontario

Confirmed positive: 12,245 (increase of 510 from April 21)
Hospitalized: 878 (increase of 19 from April 21)
Hospitalized and in ICU: 243 (decrease of 7 from April 21)
Hospitalized and in ICU on ventilator: 192 (decrease of 2 from April 21)
Deaths: 659 (increase of 37 from April 21)
Total tests completed 184,531 (increase of 10,361 from April 21)
Tests under investigation: 6,845 (increase of 1,299 from April 21)
Resolved: 6,221 (increase of 415 from April 21)

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

Judging from local COVID-19 test results, physical distancing and self-isolation efforts seem to be limiting the spread of the novel coronoavirus in the Peterborough area.

The local rate of positive COVID-19 cases is well below the provincial average, sitting at 40 per 100,000 people compared to the Ontario-wide rate of 82 per 100,000.

Referring to a “dashboard” of local COVID-19 data during her weekly media briefing held on Wednesday (April 22), Peterborough medical officer of health Dr. Rosana Salvaterra said there has been a total of 59 positive cases in Peterborough city and county, Curve Lake and Hiawatha to date — 22 of which are still active.

COVID-19 Weekly Situational Report – April 22, 2020 – Peterborough Public Health
COVID19-Weekly-Situational-Report-April-22-2020

In addition, the data shows that 58 per cent of the local positive cases have involved females while 42 per cent are male, which is consistent with provincial demographic data.

“We know that for the majority of our cases, it’s travel history with 45.7 per cent having had exposure outside of Peterborough,” Dr. Salvaterra said.

“Almost 41 per cent of our cases were a close contact of a confirmed case,” Dr. Salvaterra noted. “This highlights the importance of our case investigation and management and the fact that we ask close contacts to either self-isolate or self-monitor.”

“For another 10.2 per cent of our cases, we have not been ale to determine where they were exposed. That’s much lower than what we’re seeing in the rest of the province.”

Dr. Salvaterra added two of three earlier identified outbreaks — at Riverview Manor and at the Peterborough Regional Health Centre — have been resolved, with the outbreak at St. Joseph’s at Fleming “stable and well under control.”

To date, more than 2,000 COVID-19 tests have been conducted locally with results awaited on 360 of those tested. A total of 1,613 tests have come back negative while 36 cases have now been resolved.

The first and only COVID-19 related death in the Peterborough area to date was reported on Sunday (April 12) by the Peterborough Regional Health Centre. Facebook posts identified the patient as 68-year-old Peterborough photographer and retired psychologist Dr. George Dimitroff.

On Monday (April 20), Dr. Salvaterra signed a class order under section 22 of Ontario’s Health Protection and Promotion Act. That order comes with a penalty of up to $5,000 per day for anyone who fails to self-isolate as required.

The order applies to anyone in Peterborough city and county, Curve Lake and Hiawatha who has tested positive, is awaiting test results or has “reasonable grounds to believe they have COVID-19 whether they have been tested or not” as well as anyone who have been in close contact with people in the previous three categories.

“The rationale for issuing the order is not based on any perception on my part that we have issues with compliance,” Dr. Salvaterra said.

“This order is intended as a tool to remind anyone who has been tested and anyone who is a contact or may have symptoms that isolation is expected and is legally required. It is not voluntary. Peterborough Public Health is prepared to take measures to enforce if necessary. We need full compliance if we wish to build on if we wish to protect and build on the success we have achieved.”

The original order, which appeared on the Peterborough Public Health website but was not broadly released to the media, made no mention of the inclusion of Curve Lake and Hiawatha. Dr. Salvaterra said it’s her intention that both First Nations communities be included under the order.

“Given their right to self-government and self-determination, my approach with any issues of enforcement of provincial legislation has always been to approach the chiefs and council first and work co-operatively with them,” she said. “For that reason they weren’t explicitly named in the order (on Monday). I will seek to work through their chiefs and elected council moving forward.”

Also participating in Wednesday’s media briefing were Peterborough Mayor Diane Therrien, Peterborough County Warden J. Murray Jones, and Peterborough Public Health chair Andy Mitchell.

“It’s still a long road ahead of us in terms of coming out on the other side,” Mayor Therrien said, “but we’re making plans on how we’re going to forge a path forward towards post-pandemic life and what that’s going to look like.”