Area reports 11 new COVID cases
There were 11 new cases of COVID-19 reported in Peterborough and area over the weekend.
This brings to 514 the number of cases confirmed since March, with one case added from a previous day.
There are 48 active cases and 459 resolved, and there have been seven deaths.
Peterborough Public Health, which covers the city and county, Curve Lake First Nation and Hiawatha First Nation, has tested 41,000 people since March. Cases continue to be close to evenly split between men and women, with the majority of cases (more than 160) among people 20 to 29. More details are available at localcovidtracker.ca.
Outbreaks remain in effect at Peterborough Regional Health Centre, the Centennial Place long-term-care home in Millbrook and the Regency Retirement Home in Lakefield.
COVID-19 testing continues at Peterborough Regional Health Centre and at Northcrest Arena, both by appointment only. To book a spot, visit prhc.on.ca and at peterboroughpublichealth.ca.
Testing by Peterborough Public Health staff can also be arranged in the home by calling (705) 743-1000.
In neighbouring areas, there were 143 new cases reported in Durham Region on the weekend, and 666 active cases. There have been 267 deaths in
the region. The Haliburton, Kawartha, Pine Ridge (HKPR) District Health Unit reported four new cases in the City of Kawartha Lakes and one new case in Northumberland County.
This brings to 392 the total confirmed cases in the City of Kawartha Lakes since March, with another 46 confirmed in Haliburton County and 355 in Northumberland County.
There have been 29 deaths among confirmed cases and 13 deaths among probable cases across the HKPR coverage area.
Health officials inspected bigbox retailers in Durham Region earlier in January and planned more inspections this weekend, ticketing shoppers for violating masking and physical distancing regulations.
Similar inspections are planned for the Peterborough area, with inspectors visiting local stores.
Elected officials
At a virtual press briefing organized by Peterborough Public Health on Friday, medical officer of health Dr. Rosana Salvaterra said she was encouraged to see nearly half as many cases of COVID-19 this week compared to last week.
Several local politicians were at the briefing and reacted to the news. Here’s some of what they had to say.
MP Maryam Monsef: “Efforts to bend the curve are paying off. I want to thank everyone because I know you’re making sacrifices: you’re cancelling vacation plans, you’re staying indoors and you’re missing time with loved ones. But those efforts are making a world of difference.”
MPP Dave Smith: Smith said it’s great that children are returning to school on Monday. “And I’m really looking forward to doing some of the things that we, as adults, enjoy doing and want to go back to doing. The sooner we can do that, the better. The only way we can get to that is if we keep diligent with all the public health measures.”
Warden J. Murray Jones: “I’m still seeing people, at every opportunity they can, trying to justify breaking the rules. If we could just get this through our heads: let’s buckle down and do what we’re supposed to do. Let’s stop pointing the finger at somebody — anybody! — trying to blame them for all this, because it’s nobody’s fault. Let’s stick together and get over all this.”
Mayor Diane Therrien: “We know it’s been a long haul: there is light at the end of the tunnel, with in-person learning resuming, that’s very exciting ... It’s been a long haul for everyone, but the vaccines are on the way. So we just need to hang on a little longer.”
Selwyn Mayor Andy Mitchell: Mitchell said there’s been a decline in cases this week, thanks in great part to people’s willingness to abide by public health measures. “To everyone doing their part, I want to extend a sincere thank you.”