As of Tuesday, February 2, the number of active cases of COVID-19 under Eastern Ontario Health Unit (EOHU) jurisdiction had decreased to 357 from 377 cases on Monday, February 1.
There were 22 COVID-19 patients from the EOHU’s territory in hospital as of February 2, and one of those patients were in intensive care.
However, the number of deaths resulting from COVID-19 across the area served by the EOHU as of Tuesday had increased to 56 from 55 on Monday.
Back to school
In-person classroom learning resumed at schools under EOHU jurisdiction on February 1 and February 2 since Monday was a Professional Activity Day in some schools. On Monday, Medical Officer of Health Dr. Paul Roumeliotis said that in addition to enhanced protection measures announced by the Ontario government on Monday, the EOHU is working to provide rapid testing materials for COVID-19 in schools. There will not be regular testing of students, but instead targeted testing of asymptomatic students if needed.
As of February 2, there was only one COVID-19 case connected with a school under EOHU jurisdiction, involving one staff member at École secondaire catholique Embrun.
Testing changes
“Testing is not prevention,” Roumeliotis emphasized on Monday. He said that testing is only one of the tools that are available to control COVID-19. He said that testing gives an indication of the presence of the coronavirus among the population, but other measures are more effective at preventing it.
As the EOHU begins to expand its COVID-19 vaccination program, it has decided to make more of its employees and space available for that effort. Roumeliotis said on Monday that is why the Alexandria testing and assessment facility moved to Glengarry Memorial Hospital on February 1, and the Casselman testing and assessment facility will be relocating to the Hawkesbury and District General Hospital office in Casselman.
Vaccination situation
As of Monday, February 1, 2,505 people across the EOHU’s territory had been vaccinated against COVID-19. Roumeliotis said that more Pfizer vaccines had arrived which would allow vaccinations to continue at retirement homes and then for residents and employees of long-term care facilities to receive their second dose. Roumeliotis said that the supply will be tight for the next two weeks but anticipated that it will improve by mid-February.
Long-term care outbreaks
As of February 2, COVID-19 outbreaks of two or more cases were in effect at the following long-term care, retirement, and group living facilities under EOHU jurisdiction:
Rideau Place in Hawkesbury
Manoir Carillon in Chute-à-Blondeau
Pinecrest Nursing Home in Plantagenet
Maxville Manor
Foyer St-Viateur Nursing Home in Limoges
Centre d’Acceuil Roger-Séguin in Clarence Creek
Valoris Group Home in Cheney
Lancaster Long-Term Care
Sandfield Place Long-Term Care in Cornwall
Riverview Manor in Cornwall
Cornwall Community Hospital—11600 pod
Cornwall Community Hospital—JMP 2500 and 2600 pods
Glen Stor Dun Lodge in Cornwall
Iakhihsohtha Lodge in Akwesasne
TSIIonKwa NonhSoTe Long-Term Care in Akwesasne
Woodland Villa in Long Sault
Ontario statistics
The Provincewide Shutdown and stay-at-home order remain in effect across the province of Ontario until February 9.
As of February 2, there were 745 new, active cases of COVID-19 across Ontario from February 1. According to calculations based on statistics from the Ministry of Health, there were 17,451 active cases of COVID-19 across Ontario as of Tuesday.
There were 1,192 COVID-19 patients in hospital across Ontario as of February 2. Out of those patients, 341 were in intensive care, and 253 patients were on ventilators.
There had been 6,238 deaths due to COVID-19 across Ontario as of February 2, which was an increase of 14 deaths from February 1.
EOHU COVID-19 cases, February 2, 2021.
Map: Eastern Ontario Health Unit.
