Four new cases of COVID-19 have been confirmed in Timmins.
According to the Porcupine Health Unit, the cases were identified in its investigation into the outbreak at Timmins and District Hospital.
The health unit says all are women in the Timmins area.
Two cases, a woman in her 50s and a woman in her 20s, are in self-isolation. A woman in her 70s and a woman in her 90s are admitted to hospital.
"These four cases were identified in the process of the investigation of the outbreak at Timmins and District Hospital. The investigation is ongoing at this time to determine potential linkages," reads the news release.
The outbreak at the hospital was announce Sunday, April 19 after a patient tested positive.
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.
The outbreak at the Timmins hospital is one of three in the city. There are also declared outbreaks of the virus at Spruce Hill Lodge, and St. Mary's Gardens. The outbreak at Extendicare Timmins has been declared over.
In a statement yesterday, St. Mary's said that the COVID-19 swabs done on its residents and staff in the investigation into its outbreak are all negative.
There are COVID-19 Assessment centres in Timmins, Cochrane, Iroquois Falls, Kapuskasing, Hearst and Hornepayne. They are by appointment only and you must be referred by your primary healthcare provider or the health unit.
The PHU COVID-19 hotline is open during the week from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. It can be reached at 705-267-1181 or 1-800-461-1818.
The health unit is doing expanded testing on people with milder symptoms for a limited time.
The expanded list of symptoms include cough, fever, and difficulty breathing as well as sore throat/hoarse voice, difficulty swallowing, loss of smell or taste, fatigue, muscle aches, runny nose, loss of appetite, diarrhea, and nausea or vomiting.
