The gradual decrease of active COVID-19 cases under the jurisdiction of the Eastern Ontario Health Unit (EOHU) continued as of Thursday, February 11.

On Thursday, there were 145 active cases of COVID-19 among residents of the EOHU territory, which was six fewer cases than on Thursday.

There were 19 COVID-19 patients from the EOHU’s territory in hospital as of February 11, and no patients were in intensive care.

The number of deaths resulting from COVID-19 across the area served by the EOHU as of Thursday remained at 63.

COVID-19 case statistics listed on the EOHU website often do not match what are listed on the Ontario Ministry of Health’s website.  According to Medical Officer of Health Dr. Paul Roumeliotis, the discrepancy is due to each agency using two separate systems that do not communicate with each other and are not updated simultaneously.  He said that the local statistics listed on the EOHU website are more accurate than the ministry numbers.

Vaccination

As of Thursday, 3,031 people across the jurisdiction of the EOHU had been vaccinated against COVID-19.

Roumeliotis said that 3,200 additional doses of COVID-19 vaccine are expected for delivery to the EOHU next week.  High-risk health care workers and senior citizens living in the community will be the next groups of people eligible to receive vaccinations.  Roumeliotis said that as more vaccine doses become available, more groups of people will be able to be vaccinated simultaneously.  The EOHU is presently arranging for immunization clinic space from municipalities at facilities such as community centres.

Roumeliotis noted that only people aged 16 and up are being vaccinated against COVID-19 at this time.  He said that ages 16 and up represent approximately 70 per cent of the population of the EOHU’s jurisdiction.

Changes to restrictions

For the EOHU’s territory, the provincial stay-at-home order will remain in effect until February 16.  Regions of the province will be gradually returning to the system of coloured COVID-19 zones with varying restrictions.

No official declaration has yet been made of if the EOHU’s territory is a red or orange zone.  Decisions on the designation for each public health region will be announced by the Ontario government each Friday based on statistics obtained each Tuesday.

Roumeliotis said on Thursday that based on the current statistics, it is likely that the EOHU’s territory will become an orange zone as of Tuesday, which will mean a series of reduced restrictions.  Roumeliotis said he would have preferred that the entire province remain a red zone for another entire week to allow time for restrictions to be reduced more gradually.

School cases

There were active cases of COVID-19 connected with the following schools under EOHU jurisdiction as of February 11:

One student at École secondaire publique Le Sommet in Hawkesbury

One student at École intermédiare catholique—Pavillon Alexandria

Two students at École secondaire catholique Le Relais in Alexandria

On Thursday, Ontario Minister of Education Stephen Lecce announced that the March school break is being rescheduled to April.  Roumeliotis said he supports the minister’s decision and that it was something he had been recommending in discussions with other public health officials from across Ontario.  He said that delaying the break could prevent a repeat of increased cases of COVID-19 like what was seen following the Christmas holiday break in January.

Long-term care outbreaks

As of February 11, 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:

Manoir Carillon in Chute-à-Blondeau

Pinecrest Nursing Home in Plantagenet

Foyer St-Viateur Nursing Home in Limoges

Centre d’Acceuil Roger-Séguin in Clarence Creek

Valoris Group Home in Cheney

Lancaster Long-Term Care

Riverview Manor in Cornwall

Cornwall Community Hospital—11600 pod

Glen Stor Dun Lodge in Cornwall

TSIIonKwa NonhSoTe Long-Term Care in Akwesasne

Woodland Villa in Long Sault

Ontario statistics

As of February 11, there were 945 new, active cases of COVID-19 across Ontario from February 10.  According to calculations based on statistics from the Ministry of Health, there were 12,853 active cases of COVID-19 across Ontario as of February 11.

There were 883 COVID-19 patients in hospital across Ontario as of February 11.  Out of those patients, 299 were in intensive care, and 211 patients were on ventilators.

There had been 6,596 deaths due to COVID-19 across Ontario as of February 11, which was an increase of 19 deaths from February 10.

EOHU COVID-19 cases, February 11, 2021

Map: Eastern Ontario Health Unit.