Close contact continues to be top source of COVID-19 spread

At a virtual briefing on COVID-19 on Tuesday, medical officer of health Dr. Rosana Salvaterra offered the following data on the spread of the illness locally: Source of virus exposure

The most important source of virus exposure is close contact with confirmed cases — nearly 65 per cent of cases are being contracted that way, with community spread in second place at 22 per cent of cases. Most affected age group

The largest proportion of local cases — 150 of them — have been among people aged 20 to 29.

Testing rate

About 40,100 local residents have been tested to date — 600 more than last week. About 600 people are getting tested for the first time every week, Salvaterra said — those are in addition to people who get tested routinely because they work in long-term care, for example.

Hospitalization rate

About four per cent of cases locally required hospitalization, Salvaterra said. (There have been 19 patients hospitalized at Peterborough Regional Health Centre with COVID-19 since the beginning of the pandemic).

Case incidence rate

Since last week, the case incidence rate in Peterborough has declined from 47 cases per 100,000 people to 33 cases per 100,000 people.

“Our rate continues to be much lower — almost a fifth lower — than the cumulative provincial case incidence rate. So in general, Peterborough, we’re doing well compared to other parts of the province — but we certainly can’t let down our guard.”