COVID-19 assessment tool will connect patient to doctor, testing

WATERLOO REGION — A new local self-assessment tool will connect people to a oncall care providers for a virtual appointment and COVID-19 testing if needed.

“The process is quick, clear and straightforward,” said acting medical officer of health Dr. Hsiu-Li Wang during Wednesday’s briefing. “If a medical assessment is recommended, you can book a virtual appointment with a doctor,” she explained. “After the virtual appointment, you may be referred to an assessment centre.”

Wang said the tool, linked to from the region’s site, asks the same questions as the Ontario-developed self-assessment for people who think they were exposed to the virus or have symptoms, but goes a step further by virtually connecting patients with a primary care provider if medical followup is required. This could be their own doctor if they’re participating, as well as helping those who can’t access their care provider or don’t have one.

“The tool will also allow for further followup with patients who are self-monitoring their symptoms at home,” Wang said.

The new assessment tool at covid19checkup.ca was launched by Ontario Health West and co-ordinated by the Kitchener-based eHealth Centre of Excellence. Similar tools have been tested in other areas of the province and have worked well, Wang said.

“It’s meant to increase people’s access to primary care and people’s access to a referral for testing as well,” she said.

There are five assessment centres in the region where testing is done, including two community centres in Cambridge and Waterloo. The region is working with its clinical partners to open up testing beyond priority groups to people in the general public who have symptoms as soon as possible. Confirmed COVID-19 cases in the region have reached 963.

The Wednesday morning update by public health is an additional nine cases on Tuesday’s 954. One more person died for a total of 105.

Of the current local cases, 528 are resolved and 48 are hospitalized. The number of hospitalizations continues to rise, up from 46 on Tuesday. A total of 19 per cent of cases — or 184 — were ever hospitalized, including six per cent who required intensive care.

Outbreaks are declared at 11 long-term care and retirement homes — down one from the previous day’s report. The outbreak at Doon Village retirement residence in Kitchener was declared over on Monday. One resident had tested positive. Nineteen outbreaks in nursing care residences have been declared over.

“We now have more facilities that are out of outbreak than there are in outbreak. And there are a number that are controlled relatively quickly and can come out of outbreak relatively quickly,” Wang said.

She is pleased to see the outbreak at Forest Heights Revera in Kitchener, declared on April 1, seems to be stabilizing, although she said it’s too early to speculate when that will end.

A total of 166 residents and 65 staff tested positive, and 47 people have died.

While there are signs the rate of COVID-19 infection is relatively controlled in the community, Wang stressed that the situation is precarious and control measures must be continued this holiday weekend and as the province begins to lift restrictions.

“The virus can spread very easily and very rapidly and we have seen that this can have severe consequences.”

Charges

Two more charges were laid in the past week for not complying with provincial emergency orders.

One was related to a Kitchener grocery store and the other a person in a Cambridge outdoor setting. A total of 12 charges have now been laid in the region.

Chief administrative officer Mike Murray said in the past week there were 289 site visits requiring education or warnings, 1,426 site visits not requiring action, 95 phone calls providing information.