Four new positive COVID-19 cases have been confirmed in Timmins, and are two hospital staff members as well as two patients.
The cases were identified as part of the Porcupine Health Unit's investigation into the outbreak at Timmins and District Hospital, which was declared Sunday, April 19.
Since the start of the pandemic, there have been 54 cases in the health unit's area.
The health unit is aware of 1,368 tests being completed locally, which is an increase of 172 from the last report. Of the 54 positive tests, 30 cases are resolved and three people have died. There are 455 tests under investigation.
For the local cases, 32 are in Timmins and 17 of those are resolved and two people have died, 21 are in the area of Cochrane, Matheson, Iroquois Falls, and Smooth Rock Falls and 12 of those are resolved and one person has died, and one is in the area of Kapuskasing, Opasatika, Val Rita-Harty, Moonbeam, and Fauquier-Strickland and is resolved.
Ontario Public Health is reporting another 510 lab-confirmed cases of COVID-19 today, and 37 more deaths. Since the pandemic began, there have been 12,245 lab-confirmed cases of COVID-19 reported, including 6,221 (50.8 per cent) recoveries and 659 deaths (5.4 per cent).
Since the COVID-19 outbreak was declared at Timmins' hospital, about 25 per cent of its workforce, as well as patients in the affected unit have been tested, according to president and CAO Blaise MacNeil. While there has been talk provincially about the COVID-19 curve flattening and potential easing of restrictions, local leaders are emphasizing the need to stay vigilant with public health measures. Read more from today's daily health table update here.
After a COVID-19 outbreak was declared at St. Mary's Gardens, the facility says the results of the tests done on residents and staff as part of the investigation are all negative. The Timmins seniors' residence issued a statement on its outbreak, which was declared April 16, yesterday. Read more on that here.
While the overall homeless numbers in Timmins haven't changed with the COVID-19 pandemic, the number of people relying on Living Space has, according to Cochrane District Social Services Administration Board CAO Brian Marks. Read more about how the profile has changed here.
The construction of the new Centre Culturel La Ronde building is currently at “standstill” due to the COVID-19 pandemic. La Ronde's executive director Lisa Bertrand said the organization is still waiting for funding from the provincial and federal government.
A New Liskeard office furniture manufacturer has briefly gone back to its old-school roots to help the Temiskaming Hospital get through a bedding crunch.
The essential worker of the day is Jaymee Trudel, who is a nurse at Timmins and District Hospital.
