Hastings Prince Edward Public Health
Online Bulletin for Health Care Providers

May 14, 2020

From:
Dr. Piotr Oglaza
Medical Officer of Health & CEO
Hastings Prince Edward Public Health

In this Issue:

  1. Local COVID-19 Update
  2. UPDATED COVID-19 Information and Guidance Documents
  3. COVID-19 Testing and Assessment for Community Patients
  4. COVID-19 Public Health Teleconference for Primary Care Professionals

Local COVID-19 Update

Hastings Prince Edward Public Health (HPEPH) would like to acknowledge all the hard work and dedication seen within our local Long-term care (LTC) and Retirement homes (RH) during the course of this pandemic. We are pleased to announce that all local LTC and RH COVID-19 outbreaks have been contained and declared over. HPEPH continues to work closely with LTC and RH to quickly identify and manage cases and contacts to protect this vulnerable population. As of this publication, there have been 42 lab confirmed cases within Hastings and Prince Edward counties, with 27 reported as recovered, 180 probable cases and 5 deaths. Daily COVID-19 updates can be found on our new surveillance webpage HPEPH COVID-19 Dashboard.

UPDATED COVID-19 Information and Guidance Documents

  • COVID-19 Case Definitions (updated May 11) - include changes to Probable Case definition for patients who have not been tested.
    • Consideration for travel within Canada to an affected area (i.e. a defined area within Canada with evidence of wide spread accelerating community outbreak of COVID-19)
    • Consideration for people who were living/working in a facility known to be experiencing an outbreak (e.g. LTC, prison)
  • COVID-19 Reference Document for Symptoms (updated May 11, Version 3) – added multisystem inflammatory vasculitis as atypical symptom in children
  • Protecting Ontario’s Children with COVID-19 Ontario News Statement released May 13
    • to bring awareness to reports of potential increase in multisystem inflammatory vasculitis (rare illness similar to Kawasaki syndrome) internationally and across Canada that may be linked to COVID-19

COVID-19 Testing and Assessment for Community Patients

  • Testing should be considered based on clinical assessment and not on the case definition.
  • Clinicians may refer patients requiring COVID-19 assessment and testing to one of four local COVID Assessment Centres (CAC) or the Paramedic COVID-19 Response Team using the online Referral for COVID-19 Assessment Form. Send your referral directly to your selected option.

COVID-19 Public Health Teleconference for Primary Care Professionals

“Meet your HPEPH Interim Medical Officer of Health”, Dr. Alex Caturay: May 20th 11:00- 11:30

  • Public Health Updates specifically for Family Physicians and Nurse Practitioners in Hastings and Prince Edward region
  • Topics will include local COVID-19 epidemiology and testing information.
  • To join the teleconference: Dial 1-855-453-6962, Conference ID: 6292448#

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HPEPH has closed our doors to the public; however, we remain dedicated in protecting our community and providing local HCPs and our community with new information as it becomes available. Current information on COVID-19 specifically for health care providers can be found at hpePublicHealth.ca, Ontario Ministry of Health and at publichealthontario.ca.

Back to Summary

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

Contact Information: 

To give us your comments: etubbs@hpeph.ca

To report communicable diseases:613-966-5500 x349

To report AEFI or DOPHS: Online / Fax - 613-966-1813 or CDCFAX1@hpeph.ca

Health Bulletin Editors: Emily Tubbs

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