Active COVID-19 cases among residents of the Eastern Ontario Health Unit’s (EOHU) jurisdiction have gradually decreased during the past five days, going from 178 active cases on Monday, March 8 to 148 active cases as of Friday, March 12.

There were also nine COVID-19 patients from the EOHU’s territory in hospital, and one patient was in intensive care as of Friday.

The number of deaths resulting from COVID-19 across the area served by the EOHU as of Friday was 69.

Medical Officer of Health Dr. Paul Roumeliotis said that as of March 11, there were 25 active COVID-19 variant cases in people living across the EOHU’s jurisdiction.  All but one of those cases was presumed to be the variant originating in the United Kingdom.

Vaccinations

As of March 12, 14,409 people across the jurisdiction of the EOHU had been vaccinated against COVID-19.

Currently, COVID-19 vaccination appointments in Ontario are only available, by invitation only, to people aged 80 or greater who receive home care, health care workers, or authorized caregivers and visitors to residents of long-term care and retirement residences.

Eligible residents are being notified by phone with instructions on how to make an appointment online or by phone.  People who show up at a vaccination centre without an appointment will not be vaccinated.

All other individuals aged 80 or greater will be able to begin making vaccination appointments beginning on Monday, March 15.

“The clinics are going well,” said Medical Officer of Health Dr. Paul Roumeliotis on Thursday.  One of the six vaccination centres across the EOHU’s territory is at the Robert Hartley Sports Complex in Hawkesbury.

Next week, the EOHU is planning to begin allowing all other individuals aged 80 or greater to be vaccinated.

Phase two of the vaccination project is to begin in April which will include people age 60 or greater, people with chronic health conditions, and people who have jobs they cannot do from home.

“I think it’s very broad,” said Roumeliotis on Thursday, in reference to the eligibility of individuals who cannot work from home.

Roumeliotis was optimistic that many individuals will be able to receive their first dose of a COVID-19 vaccination before the end of May.

Long-term care outbreaks

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 as of March 12:

Maxville Manor

The Palace Long-Term Care in Alexandria

Heartwood Long Term Care in Cornwall

Baldwin House in Cornwall

Chartwell McConnell in Cornwall

Woodland Villa in Long Sault

School and childcare facility cases

There were active cases of COVID-19 connected with the following schools under EOHU jurisdiction as of March 8:

One student at École élémentaire catholique St-Joseph in Wendover

One student at Rockland Intermediate School

One staff member at École élémentaire catholique Sacré-Coeur in Clarence-Rockland

One student École intermédiaire catholique Pavillon L’Escale in Clarence-Rockland

One student at Iona Academy in South Glengarry

One student at École élémentaire catholique de l’Ange-Gardien in South Glengarry

One student at École élémentaire publique Rose-des-vents in Cornwall

One student at Sacred Heart Catholic School in Cornwall

One student at St. Matthew Catholic Elementary School in Cornwall

One staff member at Bishop Macdonell Catholic School in Cornwall

One student at North Stormont Public School

One student at Longue Sault Public School in South Stormont

One student at St. Andrew’s Catholic School in South Stormont

One student at Rothwell-Osnabruck Elementary School in South Stormont

One student at Morrisburg Public School

There were active cases of COVID-19 connected with a childcare facility under EOHU jurisdiction at the following locations as of Friday, March 12:

One child at Centre éducatif Ste-Lucie in South Stormont

Orange zone in effect, but at the risk of red

The EOHU’s territory is currently an orange zone full details of the orange zone restrictions are listed on the EOHU website at: https://eohu.ca/en/covid/covid-19-response-framework .

Across Ontario

As of March 12, there were 1,371 new, active cases of COVID-19 across Ontario.  According to calculations based on statistics from the Ministry of Health, there were 11,512 active cases of COVID-19 across Ontario as of Friday.

There were 676 COVID-19 patients in hospital across Ontario as of Friday.  Out of those patients, 282 were in intensive care, and 189 patients were on ventilators.

There had been 7,127 deaths due to COVID-19 across Ontario as of March 12.

EOHU COVID-19 active cases, March 12, 2021.

Map: Eastern Ontario Health Unit.