The Timiskaming Health Unit has the highest COVID-19 testing rate in Northern Ontario, and the Timmins-area organization continues to have the highest fatality rate, according to an epidemiology report.
Today, the Porupine Health Unit reported its 22nd day with no new COVID-19 cases. The last positive test in the region was reported May 10.
To date, there have been 65 confirmed cases in the area. Of those, 57 are resolved and seven people have died. The health unit is following one known active case of the virus. It is a woman in her 90s who was tested April 20 and is part of the institutional outbreak at Timmins and District Hospital. She is listed on the health unit site as admitted to hospital.
The health unit is aware of 5,175 tests being done locally, which is an increase of 74 from yesterday's report. There are 192 tests under investigation.
Each week the Porcupine Health Unit has been gathering local data and comparing it to health units across the north and provincial stats.
This week's epidemiology report includes data up until the end of day May 29.
Of the 11 virus-related deaths in Northern Ontario, the Timmins region accounts for more than half with seven fatalities.
The PHU case fatality rate is 10.8 per cent, which is higher than the provincial rate of 8.2 per cent. The local health unit also has a higher resolved rate than the provincial average, with 87.7 per cent of local cases being recovered whereas the provincial rate is 77.1 per cent.
According to the the PHU report, the numbers across the north as of May 29 were:
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Algoma Public Health - 21 confirmed cases, which is an increase of one from the last report, and no deaths. The tests per 100,000 population are 6,095.9, with 0.3 per cent being positive.
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North Bay Parry Sound District Health Unit - 27 confirmed cases, which is an increase of two from the last report, and one death. The case fatality rate is 3.7 per cent. The tests per 100,000 are 5,053.9, with .4 per cent being positive.
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Northwestern Health Unit - 21 confirmed cases, which is the same as the last report, and no deaths. The tests per 100,000 are 4,731.2, with 0.5 per cent being positive.
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Porcupine Health Unit - 65 positive, which is the same as the last report. There had been seven deaths, which is an increase of one from the last report. The fatality rate is 10.8 per cent. The tests per 100,000 population are 5,986.9, with 1.3 per cent being positive.
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Public Health Sudbury and Districts - 64 confirmed cases, which is the same as the last report. There have been two deaths, with the fatality rate being 3.1 per cent. The tests per 100,000 population is 5,102.8, with 0.7 per cent being positive.
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Thunder Bay District Health Unit, 81 confirmed cases, which is the same as the last report. One person has died, making the fatality rate 1.2 per cent. The tests per 100,000 population are 6,281.3, with 0.6 per cent being positive.
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Timiskaming Health Unit, 18 confirmed cases and no deaths. The testing per 100,000 population is 6,324.5 with 0.9 per cent being positive.
For all of Northern Ontario, when the report was completed there were 297 confirmed cases, which is 3 more than the May 25 report. There have been 11 deaths, with the fatality rate being 3.7 per cent. The testing per 100,000 population is 5,725.1, with 0.7 per cent being positive.
The full report is available here.
Testing is open to anyone who feels they need to be tested, even if you don't have symptoms. To access testing, call your health care provider or the health unit.
There are COVID-19 Assessment centres in Timmins, Cochrane, Iroquois Falls, Kapuskasing, Smooth Rock Falls, Hearst and Hornepayne.
The PHU COVID-19 hotline is open weekdays from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. It can be reached at 705-267-1181 or 1-800-461-1818.
