The local health unit will soon have a new leader at its helm.
The Board of Health has announced the appointment of Dr. Natalie Bocking as the new Medical Officer of Health (MOH) for the Haliburton, Kawartha, Pine Ridge (HKPR) District Health Unit.
With the second wave of COVID-19 confirmed by Premier Doug Ford and with record numbers of new cases being diagnosed every day, the Haliburton Kawartha Pine Ridge District Health Unit has clearly laid out their protocols regarding school closures.
Chandra Tremblay, manager of corporate services, communication and IT for the health unit, was asked via e-mail how many cases of COVID would need to be present to close any of the 68 schools schools that the health unit was responsible for?
August 31 is International Overdose Awareness Day (IOAD), a global event that aims to raise awareness of overdose and reduce the stigma of a drug-related death.
The numbers are staggering whether measured nationally, provincially, or locally. Between January 2016 and December 2019 there were 15,393 apparent opioid-related deaths in Canada. In 2019 there were 1,509 opioid-related deaths in Ontario.
In our local health unit region there were 22 opioid-related deaths in 2019. As of August 14, 2020, there have been 88 suspected drug overdoses in the area served by the Kawartha Lakes Police Service (KLPS) compared to 93 for all of 2019.
With more businesses and services opening July 17 under Ontario’s Stage 3 reopening plan, the local health unit is updating its directives on non-medical mask use in indoor public places.
As Kawartha Lakes gets set to open its restaurants for indoor dining again, many are wondering how that option co-exists with the rule about wearing a mask in public places.
As it turns out, you’ll be expected to do both, according to Bill Eekhoff, communications officer at the local health unit.
The local Health Unit is clarifying its instructions about mandatory mask wearing in commercial premises — a policy that takes effect July 13. Commercial establishments are premises that are openly accessible to members of the public and used for the purposes of offering goods or services for sale.
An establishment would include a mall or other structure containing commercial premises, including: retail stores, convenience stores, restaurants, personal services settings, grocery stores and bakeries, gas stations, indoor farmers’ markets, areas of mechanics’ shops/garages/repair shops which are open to the public.
There are 11 unresolved COVID-19 cases in Kawartha Lakes, according to the local health unit, all of whom are self-isolating in their homes.
The Haliburton, Kawartha, Pine Ridge District Health Unit data shows 171 confirmed cases total for Kawartha Lakes, minus the 141 cases considered ‘resolved.’ There are also 19 COVID-19-related deaths tied to confirmed cases in the community.
The local public health unit says that an outbreak has been declared at the Fenelon Court Long Term Care Home in Fenelon Falls — and there’s a “suspect outbreak” at Bobcaygeon’s Pinecrest Nursing Home.
Today, the Ontario government announced a long list of health units — including the Haliburton, Kawartha, Pine Ridge District Health Unit — that will be allowing for a stage two reopening.
The regional approach means they will be easing restrictions in communities where it is safe to do so, based on trends of key public health indicators such as lower rates of transmission, increased capacity in hospitals, and progress made in testing.
The COVID-19 outbreak on Ross Memorial Hospital’s Continuing Care Program (CCP1) unit has been declared ‘over’ as of May 7.
The hospital worked with Public Health to complete contact tracing and testing, and the outbreak remains limited to 1 patient and 1 staff member. “Our team quickly identified and contained the spread of COVID-19 on the unit, maintaining the safety of our patients and staff,” says Kelly Isfan, president and CEO.
