Long-term care home, retirement home in Kawartha Lakes, Northumberland declare COVID-19 outbreak

Meanwhile, Northumberland County declared a new outbreak in Port Hope at Empire Crossing Retirement Home on May 16. HKPRD confirmed this after an asymptomatic resident tested positive during enhanced surveillance testing efforts. (File Photo: Empire Crossing Retirement Community/Facebook)

The number of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) outbreaks in some care facilities are on the rise in Ontario.

Haliburton, Kawartha, Pine Ridge District (HKPRD) Health Unit declared a coronavirus outbreak at the Fenelon Court long-term care home in Fenelon Falls, Kawartha Lakes City on Monday, May 18, after an asymptomatic staff member tested positive for the virus. The requirement for an outbreak to be declared in these facilities is at least one confirmed case.

Caressant Care in Lindsay, also in the same city, still remains to be in an outbreak since May 4 when one of its residents tested positive. Kawartha Lakes Retirement Residence in Bobcaygeon is the same after one of its staff tested positive for the virus.

Meanwhile, Northumberland County declared a new outbreak in Port Hope at Empire Crossing Retirement Home on May 16. HKPRD confirmed this after an asymptomatic resident tested positive during enhanced surveillance testing efforts.

Maplewood Nursing Home in Brighton declared an outbreak on May 4 and it remains as of writing.

HKPRD’s report says that it is continuing to work with these establishments in the region.

The health unit’s website as of May 19 says that the confirmed COVID-19 cases in the HKPR District Health Unit area is at 166 with 143 coming from Kawartha Lakes City and 16 coming from Northumberland County.

As of publishing, the Government of Canada’s website says that the total number of COVID-19 cases in Ontario is at 23, 384 with the death toll at 1,919.