The number of active cases of COVID-19 across the communities served by the Eastern Ontario Health Unit (EOHU) decreased slightly as of Thursday, January 14 to 623 cases from 629 active cases on January 13.

However, there there were 25 COVID-19 patients from the EOHU’s territory in hospital as of January 14 and five of those patients were in intensive care.  According to EOHU Medical Officer of Health Dr. Paul Roumeliotis on Thursday, two of the COVID-19 patients were at Hawkesbury and District General Hospital, 13 patients were at Cornwall Community Hospital, three patients were at Ottawa Civic Hospital, and two patients were at Winchester District Memorial Hospital.

The number of deaths resulting from COVID-19 across the area served by the EOHU had increased to 42 as of January 14 from 38 deaths on January 13.  Roumeliotis did not yet have complete details on the location of the additional deaths.

Long-term care outbreaks

As of Thursday, January 14, COVID-19 outbreaks of two or more cases were in effect at the following long-term care and group living facilities under EOHU jurisdiction:

Maxville Manor

Villa St-Albert

Caressant Care Nursing Home in Bourget

Foyer St-Viateur Nursing Home in Limoges

Lancaster Long-Term Care

Riverview Manor in Cornwall

Heartwood Long-Term Care in Cornwall

Heritage Heights in Cornwall

Cornwall Community Hospital—Inpatient Mental Health Unit

Sandfield Place Long-Term Care and Retirement Home in Cornwall

Glen Stor Dun Lodge in Cornwall

TSIIonKwa NonhSoTe Long-Term Care in Akwesasne

Woodland Villa in Long Sault

Stay-at-home order

On Thursday, Roumeliotis attempted to address some of the confusion about the stay-at-home order currently in effect across the province of Ontario.  He said that citizens may leave their homes to buy groceries, medications, pick-up take-out food orders, to obtain medical care, visit vulnerable individuals such as elderly relatives, and to exercise.  Roumeliotis said outdoor exercise is important and said that is the reason public parks are remaining open, unlike in the spring of 2020 when they were closed.  He explained that the limit of a maximum of five people at an outdoor gathering is designed to allow people who live alone, or for individuals who happen to meet a friend or neighbour while walking to stop and have a conversation, as long as proper physical distancing is followed.

Roumeliotis said on Thursday that he was aware of issues involving shoppers crossing between Hawkesbury and Grenville for shopping while such activities are being discouraged in both Ontario and Québec.  However, he said that the health unit does not have the ability to stop Québec residents from shopping in Ontario.  The Ontario stay-at-home order is in effect at all times, but the Québec curfew is only in effect from 8 p.m. to 5 a.m. nightly.

Vaccination update

On Wednesday, January 13 and Thursday, January 14, the EOHU vaccinated 490 people who are residents of four long-term care facilities across Prescott and Russell, and Stormont, Dundas, and Glengarry counties.  Those facilities were Foyer St-Jacques in Embrun, Champlain Residence in L’Orignal, The Palace in Alexandria, and Parisien Manor in Cornwall.

EOHU personnel and paramedics will continue vaccinations at long-term care facilities on January 15 and during the weekend. 

Ontario statistics

There were 3,326 new, active cases of COVID-19 across Ontario between January 13 and January 14.  According to calculations based on statistics from the Ministry of Health, there were 29,307 active cases of COVID-19 across Ontario as of Thursday.

There were 1,657 COVID-19 patients in hospital across Ontario as of January 14.  Out of those patients, 388 were in intensive care, and 280 patients were on ventilators.

There had been 5,189 deaths due to COVID-19 across Ontario as of January 14.

COVID 19 cases across EOHU jurisdiction, Thursday, January 14, 2021.

Map: Eastern Ontario Health Unit.

EOHU COVID-19 media briefing, Thursday, January 14, 2021.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=10X2ovlUiQM