For Municipal Partners

Hastings Prince Edward Public Health
Online Bulletin for Municipal Partners

May 20, 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 43 lab-confirmed cases of COVID-19 and 183 probable cases, with 30 lab-confirmed cases having recovered and 5 deceased.
    • Approximately 6,148 COVID-19 tests have been conducted, with a 0.7% positivity rate.
    • Facilities experiencing COVID-19 outbreak can be found online.
    • More details are available on our website hpePublicHealth.ca.
  • In Canada, there are 79,101 lab-confirmed cases of COVID-19 resulting in 5,912 deaths. To date, over 1,339,971 individuals have been tested.

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

  Number Percentage
Number of cases 23,774 N/A
Change from previous report (new cases) 390 1.7 increase
Resolved 18,190 76.5
Subset of all cases that are reported to be long-term care residents 4,518 19.0
Subset of all cases that are reported as a health care worker associated with long-term care outbreaks 1,573 6.6
Total number of deaths 1,962 8.3
Deaths reported for residents in long-term care homes 1,224 62.4
Deaths reported for health care workers in long-term care homes 4 0.2
Demographics    
Male 10,095 42.5
Female 13,507 56.8
19 and under 686 2.9
20-39 5,840 24.6
40-59 7,258 30.5
60-79 4,997 21.0
80 and over 4,981 21.0
Testing    
Total tests completed 567,176  N/A
Total tests completed in the previous day 7,382 N/A
Currently under investigation 4,444 N/A
Hospitalizations    
Number of patients currently hospitalized with COVID-19 991 N/A
Number of patients currently in ICU with COVID-19 160 N/A
Number of patients currently in ICU on a ventilator with COVID-19 120 N/A

Note: 172 cases did not specify male or female. 12 cases had an unknown age.

  • There are 23,774 confirmed cases of COVID-19 in Ontario reported to date. This represents an increase of 390 confirmed cases from the previous report.
    • 42.5% of cases are male, 56.8% are female.
    • 42.0% of cases are 60 years of age and older.
    • Greater Toronto Area public health units account for 63.4% of cases.
    • 12.8% of cases were hospitalized.
  • 1,962 deaths have been reported (please note there may be a reporting delay for deaths). This is an increase of 43 deaths from the previous report.
  • 284 outbreaks have been reported in long-term care homes. This is an increase of 4 outbreaks from the previous report.

Federal

Expansion of Support for Workers and Small Businesses

  • Yesterday, Prime Minister Trudeau announced an expansion to the eligibility criteria for the Canada Emergency Business Account (CEBA) to include many owner-operated small businesses. The changes to the CEBA will allow more Canadian small businesses to access interest free loans that will help cover operating costs during a period when revenues have been reduced, due to the pandemic.

  • To qualify under the expanded eligibility criteria, applicants with payroll lower than $20,000 would need:

    • A business operating account at a participating financial institution.
    • A Canada Revenue Agency business number, and to have filed a 2018 or 2019 tax return.
    • Eligible non-deferrable expenses between $40,000 and $1.5 million. Eligible non-deferrable expenses could include costs such as rent, property taxes, utilities, and insurance.

Testing, Contact Tracing and Personal Protective Equipment (PPE)

  • The federal government is working with the provinces and territories to ramp up testing and contact tracing.
  • The inventory of surgical masks and face shields has doubled in the last few weeks.
  • This week and in the weeks to come, many hospital gowns, glasses and swabs will be delivered to the provinces.
  • The federal government will continue to increase home production of PPE.

Clinical Trials for COVID-19 Vaccine

  • The Prime Minister announced this past Saturday that Health Canada approved the first Canadian clinical trials for a potential COVID-19 vaccine at the Canadian Center for Vaccinology at Dalhousie University.
  • The National Research Council of Canada will be working with the manufacturer so that if these vaccine trials are successful, they can be produced and distributed in Canada.

Provincial

Ontario Extends Emergency Orders

  • The Ontario government, in consultation with the Chief Medical Officer of Health, has extended all emergency orders currently in place until May 29. That includes the closure of bars and restaurants - except for takeout and delivery only - restrictions on social gatherings of more than five people, and staff redeployment rules for long-term care homes and congregate settings like retirement homes and women's shelters. The government is also allowing drive-in religious gatherings.

Ontario Enters First Stage of Reopening

  • Yesterday, as part of the initial stage of reopening the province, the government permitted the reopening of some outdoor recreational amenities, including outdoor sports facilities and multi-use fields, off-leash dog areas, and outdoor picnic sites, benches and shelters in parks and recreational areas.
  • Outdoor playgrounds, play structures and equipment, fitness equipment, public swimming pools, splash pads and similar outdoor water facilities will remain closed until later stages of the province's reopening plan.

Ontario Collaborates with Med-Tech Innovation Hub

  • The Ontario government is working with Medical Innovation Xchange (MIX), Canada's first industry-led hub for med-tech start-ups, to provide non-medical manufacturing companies free support as they retool to provide essential supplies and equipment to health care facilities during COVID-19. 
  • Non-medical manufacturing companies that have received funding through the $50M Ontario Together Fund, can access MIX members' medical advisory services, including assistance navigating regulatory hurdles and increasing efficiencies.

Local
  • Quinte West City Council has cancelled all events on city property through to the end of July, due to COVID-19 related limitations. The decision impacts annual events including the Downtown Trenton Festival on the Bay, Kiwanis Street Dance, the Chamber of Commerce Island Queen Boat Cruises, Art in the Park, Sunday Night Cruise Car Shows, the Summer Concert Series and organized Quinte West sports leagues.
  • The City of Belleville is pleased to inform residents that, effective yesterday, the following locations are now open: Off-leash dog park at East Zwick’s Park, Exhibition Grounds, Mary-Anne Sills Park, Corby Rose Garden. No playgrounds or play equipment will be open at this time. Residents are reminded to follow physical distancing recommendations and maintain a distance of two metres from others at all times.
  •  The City of Belleville wishes to inform residents that the application process for the 2020 Low Income Senior Property Tax Credit program and the Disabled Person Property Tax Credit program is now open. In April 2019, Belleville City Council approved increasing the $500 rebate to $600 in 2020. The resolution provided that the rebates for each of these programs would increase by $100 each year over the term of the current Council reaching $800 in 2022.

  • The City of Belleville reminds all specialized transit users that on June 1, the service will merge with Belleville Transit. This merger will bring some changes to how the current service operates. Dispatch staff will be available to take calls from 7:00 am to 7:00 pm, seven days a week at 613-962-1925, or passengers may also book rides by email at bellevilletransit@belleville.ca. The City asks that passengers continue to only book trips of necessity and that those feeling ill do not use the transit services.

  • The United Way HPE is a partner in administering the Emergency Community Support Fund, which provides funding to qualified recipients serving vulnerable populations in the community. Organizations providing a new or enhanced support or service(s) in Hastings and/or Prince Edward County with respect to food security, financial wellness, health and hygiene, home care or personal support services, information and navigation, legal supports, mental health and wellness, shelter, safety, social inclusion learning, transportation, etc. as a result of COVID-19, are encouraged to apply.

Public Health
  • Dr. Piotr Oglaza is hosting our weekly Facebook Live event tomorrow, Thursday, May 21 at 2:00 pm. The broadcast will feature a local COVID-19 update, responses to frequently asked questions, and the opportunity to address questions live to Dr. Oglaza. To participate in the live event, go to the Hastings Prince Edward Public Health Facebook page, facebook.com/hpepublichealth, at 2:00 pm tomorrow. If you have any questions for Dr. Oglaza, please email them in advance or share them directly during the broadcast by commenting on the video.

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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