There was no sliding or splashing happening at Calypso Water Park in Limoges this summer, but the Eastern Ontario Health Unit (EOHU) is using part of the popular attraction to improve access to COVID-19 testing.

A new temporary drive-through COVID-19 testing and assessment centre has opened in the parking lot of Calypso Water Park, located at 2015 Calypso Street, near Highway 417.  The facility has been opened to relieve the high volume of visitors and traffic at the drive-through testing and assessment centre in Casselman.

The Calypso facility is open seven days a week from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. daily.

The Ontario Ministry of Health announced changes on Thursday to who is eligible for COVID-19 testing.  Only people who are showing symptoms or are in need of testing due to concern about exposure to someone infected with COVID-19, or, for example, need to ensure they can safely visit loved ones in long-term care facilities can be tested.

The existing Casselman testing and assessment centre will eventually be relocated to better serve high volumes of traffic and to operate more effectively during the winter months.

All testing and assessment centres within the province of Ontario are open to all residents of Ontario because they are funded by the Ontario Health agency.  EOHU Medical Officer of Health Dr. Paul Roumeliotis said on Thursday, September 24 that it is at the discretion of Hawkesbury and District General Hospital to test patients from Québec who visit the facility it operates on behalf of the EOHU.

As of September 24, 54,688 people had been tested for COVID-19 at the seven testing and assessment centres across the EOHU’s jurisdiction.

Local cases

There were 39 active cases of COVID-19 across the jurisdiction of the (EOHU) as of Thursday, September 24.  The number of cumulative cases across the jurisdiction of the EOHU as of September 24 was 243 and there were 192 resolved cases.  The City of Clarence Rockland and Russell Township had the highest number of cases with 13 and seven, respectively.

As of September 24, there were no active cases of COVID-19 in Champlain Township, the Town of Hawkesbury, or the Township of East Hawkesbury.  There were three active cases in La Nation Municipality, two cases in Alfred and Plantagenet Township, and two cases in the Township of North Glengarry.

As of September 24, there were no active cases of COVID-19 in Champlain Township, the Town of Hawkesbury, or the Township of East Hawkesbury.  There were three active cases in La Nation Municipality, two cases in Alfred and Plantagenet Township, and two cases in the Township of North Glengarry.

No COVID-19 outbreaks at long-term care or other group living institutions across the EOHU’s jurisdiction were in effect on September 24.

The number of COVID-19 deaths across the EOHU’s territory remained unchanged at 12.

Interprovincial traffic

On September 24, Roumeliotis said that he is looking at how traffic between Ontario and Québec could be affected if COVID-19 cases increase in regions on either side of the boundary.  He said that he has been having discussions with the Ministry of Health and with Stormont-Dundas-South Glengarry MPP Jim McDonell about the matter.

Across Ontario

The Ontario Ministry of Health had recorded a cumulative 48,496 cases of COVID-19 across the province as of September 23.  The Ministry also reported that, 41,886 or 86.4 per cent of those cases were resolved, which means that 6,610 cases were active across Ontario as of September 23.

There were 88 COVID-19 patients were in hospital across Ontario on September 23.  Out of those 88 patients, 27 were in intensive care, and 11 patients were on ventilators.

There had been 2,836 deaths due to COVID-19 across Ontario as of September 23.

Active and cumulative cases of COVID-19 under EOHU jurisdiction as of September 24, 2020.

Map: Eastern Ontario Health Unit.