Editor's Note: A COVID-19 outbreak has also been declared at Kidd Mine in Timmins after three employees tested positive and the cases are linked. More on that story is available here. Details on an outbreak declared at an Iroquois Falls elementary school are available here.
There are 25 new COVID-19 cases in Timmins and area, and six previous cases are variants of concern, according to the Porcupine Health Unit.
For the new cases, 16 are in Timmins and nine are in the area of Cochrane, Matheson, Iroquois Falls and Smooth Rock Falls. All of the people are in self-isolation.
"Public health will notify all close contacts directly. If you are not contacted by public health, you are not considered a close contact. Regardless of an announcement of a case, everyone is reminded to stay home if they have symptoms and get tested," reads the bulletin.
Six previously reported cases in Timmins have screened positive for a variant of concern and are expected to be the United Kingdom (B.1.1.7) strain. No further testing will be done and all measures and precautions are in place, according to the health unit.
To date, there have been 448 confirmed cases of the virus in the region. Of those, 359 are recovered and 25 people have died. There are 64 known active cases — 39 in Timmins, 23 in the area of Cochrane, Matheson, Iroquois Falls and Smooth Rock Falls, and two in the Hearst, Hornepayne area.
There are COVID-19 assessment centres in Timmins, Cochrane, Iroquois Falls, Kapuskasing, Smooth Rock Falls, Hearst, and Hornepayne.
The Porcupine Health Unit COVID-19 information line can be reached at 705-360-4819 or 1-800-461-1818.
People eligible for a vaccine can register for upcoming clinics in the region here. Select pharmacies are also delivering the vaccine. Find a list of those and book an appointment here.
