For Municipal Partners

Hastings Prince Edward Public Health
Online Bulletin for Municipal Partners

April 21, 2020

To ensure everyone has current information during this quickly evolving outbreak, Hastings Prince Edward Public Health will be providing regular COVID-19 updates over the next several weeks.

For more information please review our website or call 613-966-5500.

Updates

Epidemiological

• Hastings and Prince Edward Counties have 34 lab-confirmed cases of COVID-19 and 234 probable cases. Fifteen lab-confirmed cases have recovered.
  • Approximately 1,249 COVID-19 tests have been conducted, with a 3.2% positivity rate.
  • Hastings Manor continues to be in COVID-19 outbreak.
  • More details are available on our website hpePublicHealth.ca.

• In Canada, there are 37,374 lab-confirmed cases of COVID-19 resulting in 1,728 deaths. To date, at least 559,578 individuals have been tested.

Summary of cases of COVID-19: Ontario, January 15, 2020 to April 20, 2020

Note: 117 cases did not specify male or female. Nine cases had an unknown age.

• There are 11,735 confirmed cases of COVID-19 in Ontario reported to date in iPHIS. This represents an increase of 551 confirmed cases from the previous report.
  • 42.2% of cases are male, 56.8% are female.
  • 43.8% of cases are 60 years of age and older.
  • Greater Toronto Area public health units account for 58.7% of cases.
  • 11.9% of cases were hospitalized.
• 622 deaths have been reported (please note there may be a reporting delay for deaths in iPHIS). This is an increase of 38 deaths from the previous report.
• 121 outbreaks have been reported in long-term care homes. This is an increase of 7 outbreaks from the previous report.
• 273 deaths have been reported among residents/patients in long-term care homes. This is an increase of 24 deaths from the previous report.

Federal

Schedule Modifications Due to COVID-19

• The Conservatives have lost their bid to have Parliament sit in-person several times a week throughout the COVID-19 pandemic. A tenth of MPs arrived on Parliament Hill yesterday, where it was decided by a vote of 22 to 15 that, going forward, MPs will hold one in-person sitting a week on Wednesdays with limited staff and parliamentary services, and once the technology is in place, there will be 90-minute virtual sessions on Tuesdays and Thursdays, where as few as seven MPs can question the government.
• The Senate has decided to extend its adjournment period until June 2, barring any additional urgent recalls needed to pass further emergency legislation. It had initially agreed to suspend until April 21, but had since agreed to allow certain committees to conduct teleconference or video conference meetings to study matters related to the COVID-19 crisis.

Financial Supports

• Federal spending on emergency benefits to workers who have lost their jobs due to COVID-19 has almost reached $20 billion. Federal statistics posted today shows that $19.8 billion in payments has been paid out through the Canada Emergency Response Benefit (CERB).
• The Liberals had previously budgeted $24 billion for the program, which kicked in earlier this month. So far, there have been 6.73 million unique applicants for the program, a figure that includes some two million people who previously applied for employment insurance benefits in March.

Provincial

Pandemic Modelling for Ontario

• Yesterday, the province released its updated COVID-19 modelling numbers for Ontario.
• Ontario appears to have peaked earlier than expected as experts initially anticipated a peak of community spread at some point in May, this peak period could last for several days or longer.
• The total number of cases for this wave of the outbreak is "now likely less than 20,000", if the physical distancing and other emergency measures remain in place. This figure is "substantially lower" than the worst-case scenario of 300,000 and expected-case scenario of 80,000, that were previously predicted.
• The rate of growth is declining and hospitals have not been overwhelmed by the COVID-19 outbreak due to capacity planning and the public health measures.
• If current measures restricting the spread of the disease remain in place, Ontario seems to be tracking toward the South Korea scenario which is a best-case scenario.
• The recent experience in long-term care demonstrates that the disease multiplies rapidly in congregate settings, emphasizing the need for redoubled efforts to restrict the spread of COVID-19 in those settings.
• The province is continuing with its three-point plan of: testing, screening, and surveillance; infection control to contain and prevent outbreaks; and redeploying staff from hospitals and home and community care to support the long-term care home workforce.
• Following the release of the updated modelling that indicates community-spread cases of COVID-19 appear to have peaked, Premier Doug Ford said that his government is working on a framework to guide the “gradual, measured and safe” reopening of the economy. He said that there will be multiple benchmarks that need to be achieved before the province eases any restrictions.

Toronto Shelter Outbreak

• Toronto medical officer of health Dr. Eileen de Villa says 74 people at a refugee shelter have tested positive for COVID-19. The city says that everyone at the shelter has been tested for COVID-19 with many results still pending.
• Doctors Without Borders is now in Toronto setting up a recovery centre to help deal with COVID-19 cases among the homeless.

Local

• The Belleville COVID-19 Assessment Centre is operating at Quinte Secondary School. Individuals who have been pre-screened for COVID-19 and who meet certain criteria are being directed to the temporary assessment centre for further testing. This is not a walk-in clinic! Screening and referral from HPEPH, a health care provider or telehealth is required - not everyone will be tested.

• The City of Belleville has advised residents that a two bag limit is now in effect for those without garbage tags. The City waived the necessity for garbage tags over the past few weeks in order to assist residents in their commitment to staying at home.

• While current physical distancing recommendations and gathering restrictions remain in place, the City of Belleville is making efforts to ensure that Earth Day is recognized. The Green Task Force would like to remind residents that there are many ways to celebrate Earth Day at home on April 22. The City will be sharing tips and tricks each day of Earth Week (April 22 to 29) on ways you can take simple, yet positive action for the environment as part of your daily life. Stay tuned to their Facebook page for tips or follow Earth Day Canada for more information.

• The City of Belleville Recreation, Culture and Community Services Department has been working on ways to connect with Belleville residents. On Saturdays, the Quinte Sports and Wellness Centre (QSWC) shares children’s craft and science ideas through social media. Starting April 22, QSWC Fit Breaks will be available online at QSWC.CA and will feature fitness activities for beginner, intermediate and advanced levels with video demonstrations. Each week, there will be new workout ideas added. Participants can do the routines in the comfort of their own homes, using everyday household items for equipment. Regular physical activity is vital to maintaining a healthy body and mind. During these challenging times, it is more important than ever to take care of your physical and mental health.

• In their virtual meeting yesterday, Quinte West Council decided to postpone or cancel all events on city property until the end of June, including Canada Day. Impacted events include the Walleye World Fishing Derby, Kinsmen Carnival, Barks by the Bay, Ride for Paws, the start of the DBIA Summer Concert Series, Auto Odyssey Car Show and a Pentecostals of Quinte Concert.

• Yesterday, the Eastern Ontario Regional Network (EORN) issued the first Request for Proposal to build new cellular infrastructure in the Eastern region, which includes Hastings and Prince Edward Counties. There are currently significant gaps in both the reach and capacity of mobile broadband networks across areas of rural Eastern Ontario where people live, work or travel.

• The ties between socialization and brain health are strong, that's why Alzheimer Society of Hastings-Prince Edward has started hosting an online and call-in social hour every Monday to Friday from 3 pm to 4 pm. Stop by and say hello and get your daily dose of social interaction. facebook.com/AlzheimerHPE

Public Health

• Although HPEPH immunization clinics remain closed, the vaccines are still available to health care providers for students who are due for their routine youth and grade 7 school vaccinations. Parents can contact their health care provider to arrange vaccination updates for their children. HPEPH catch-up clinics are being considered for when regular services resume, but no plans have been solidified at this time. More details will be shared in the future.

• A small team of HPEPH staff have begun an evaluation to determine the appropriateness and effectiveness of the epidemic response at HPEPH to the COVID-19 pandemic. The evaluation is ongoing; results will be used to improve the quality and performance of current activities, as well as to identify best practises and lessons learned to inform future pandemic response plans and activities.

We want to ensure this bulletin is as useful as possible. Please send your questions, comments and suggestions to klarose@hpeph.ca

Contact Information: 

To give us your comments: klarose@hpeph.ca

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