UNITY IN THE HOT ZONE
Montreal North distributes supplies
With COVID-19 case numbers still rising in Montreal, boroughs in the city’s east end are bracing for a spike in new cases.
The hardest-hit area is Montreal North, where there are 1,423 confirmed cases, an increase of 46 from Saturday, according to figures released Sunday by Santé-montréal.
Despite the grim numbers, Montreal North Mayor Christine Black said the community is rallying to deal with the pandemic. The borough has begun distributing protective equipment, including more than 20,000 masks and 5,000 visors, to local residents.
“We are really optimistic to flatten the curve,” Black said. “We are making a lot of effort to help. Since last week, we are doing more efforts, the whole community.
“In Montreal North, we are used to working together. The borough, the community organizations, the police, public health, all the citizens are working together to make a real difference now.”
Montreal’s public-health department announced on Friday it will expand testing in the hard-hit borough, which has the highest infection on the Island of Montreal with 1,689.3 cases per 100,000 population.
Black said several factors are causing the coronavirus to spread in the community of 85,000.
“We have a lot of health workers who live here,” she explained. “They work as nurses and orderlies in CHSLDS and returned home to their families in Montreal North.”
Black also noted that Montreal North is home to a large seniors population.
“About 26,000 people here are 65 years and over,” she said.
“Also, parts of Montreal North are very dense, with large families living in apartments. Not just parents with two, three or four children, but also grandparents, all under one roof.”
Some other east-end boroughs are also dealing with a spike in cases.
Villeray–st-michel–parc Extension has 1,139 cases, while Rivière-des-prairies-pointe-auxtrembles has 1,130. The borough Mercier–hochelaga-maisonneuve has 1,150 cases.
On Sunday, a new mobile testing site was set up in St-michel for residents who are showing symptoms of COVID-19. The clinic is open from noon until 8 p.m., Sunday and Monday at Patinoire Bleu-blancbouge (7525 François-perrault St.). On Tuesday and Wednesday, the testing site will be at the Centre de loisirs René-goupil (4121, 42nd St.).
The CIUSS de l’est-de-l’îlede-montréal said people can be screened even if they are not covered by the Quebec health insurance plan (RAMQ) or their health insurance card has expired.
The local outbreak began on April 8, several weeks after schools and businesses were shut down in the province.