Posted On: Wednesday, April 14, 2021
We have identified over 70 new confirmed cases across Grey Bruce in the last thirty-six hours with the potential to generate hundreds of additional close contacts. The sources of transmission are identified as individuals not following lockdown with people visiting others when symptomatic as well as social gatherings and ‘bush parties’ by high school aged youth. The issue is worsened by individuals being untruthful to public health contact tracing and case management inquiries.
As the result of the increasing case numbers, our contact tracing and case management capacity is being stretched to its limit. Public health will redeploy staff from other programs, including the vaccine program and helpline, in order to support contact tracing and case management.
The large vaccine clinic planned for Saturday will not be held. The vaccine clinics for the remainder of this week will continue, but consideration is being given to closing next week’s clinics in order to minimize the risk of people gathering as well as allowing public health staff to be redeployed. This will also result in the Infoline being shut down. The answers to most inquiries are on our website COVID-19 information. We urge those with questions to review our website.
It may take us 2-3 days to reach everyone who is a case and complete managing their contacts.
We are asking the public to help. Everyone across Grey Bruce needs to consider themselves a carrier for the next 48 hours until we reach all case and their contacts. It is a priority that everyone stay at home except for essential travel. If contacted by public health, be prudent in following any direction that is given. This is in addition to the Provincial Stay-At-Home Order.
A class action Order from the Medical Officer of Health will be issued to further reinforce the need for cases and close contacts to follow public health direction.
Individuals who are symptomatic are asked to attend assessment clinics.
For More Information:
Dr. Ian Arra, MD MSc FRCPC ACPM ABPM
Medical Officer of Health and Chief Executive Officer
To arrange to speak with Dr. Arra, please contact Drew Ferguson at:
519-376-9420 or 1-800-263-3456 ext. 1269 or d.ferguson@publichealthgreybruce.on.ca
Situation Report #393 COVID-19
Grey Bruce Health Unit | Incident Management System April 14, 2021
The Grey Bruce Health Unit is declaring a critical threshold of COVID-19 cases in Grey Bruce. We received 48 new cases in the addition to the below 25 new cases with hundreds of additional close contacts. This is a significant situation requiring a Grey Bruce-wide response, otherwise the pandemic locally will potentially spiral out of control. Drastic measures are required and will be implemented imminently. A media release on this situation follows.
Testing and case counts reported as of 23:59 hrs, April 13, 2021:
·25 new case(s) reported in past 24 hours in Grey Bruce: 11 – Owen Sound, 3 – The Blue Mountains, 2 – Grey Highlands, 2 – Hanover, 2 – Meaford, 1 – Arran-Elderslie, 1 – Brockton, 1 – Huron-Kinloss, 1 – South Bruce Peninsula, 1 – West Grey
·986 confirmed cases
§ Includes 99 cases of Variants of Concern (VOC), 25 active
§ 2 Case(s) added as transferred in from other health units: 1 – Saugeen Shores, 1 - Southgate
·111 active case(s)
·498 active high-risk contacts
·870 resolved cases
·1 confirmed case(s) hospitalized in Grey and Bruce due to COVID-19
§ 3 case(s) hospitalized outside Grey Bruce due to COVID-19
·5 deaths
§ 1 of these deaths related to a Grey Bruce resident that acquired the infection and was treated outside of Grey Bruce
§ 1 of these deaths related to a case that acquired the infection in Grey and Bruce however passed away outside of Grey and Bruce
·85 cases reported in health care workers; reports health care workers living in Grey Bruce and working both in and outside Grey Bruce
Active Outbreaks:
·0 Facility(ies) in COVID-19 outbreak. Reported in Hospitals
NEW* Active School Investigations: Schools (publichealthgreybruce.on.ca)
·All School Investigations are now available in table format. If an investigation is confirmed as an outbreak, the investigation will be moved to the outbreak table.
Vaccine - Website and Dashboard - New
·Vaccine shipment week of April 12, 2021, 6380 doses received
·8352 COVIC Vaccines given in the past 7 days
·41076 total doses of COVID-19 vaccine administered in Grey and Bruce (Vaccine_Data_Overview.pdf (publichealthgreybruce.on.ca))
o Vaccine Progress April 12 (publichealthgreybruce.on.ca)
Future Vaccination Planning:
·Weekly Vaccine Schedule - April 12
o For week of April 12, vaccinations will focus on: clients 60+ (Hockey Hubs); First Nation Communities; any remaining phase 1 qualifying residents; congregate settings, family health team clinics; participating pharmacies, immunocompromised focused clinics, school and childcare staff, those with the highest and high risk health conditions. Other Currently Eligible Groups (publichealthgreybruce.on.ca)
·Notes:
o For age based and eligible group bookings, please visit: Grey Bruce Health Unit (publichealthgreybruce.on.ca) and follow the instructions.
o Grey Bruce Health Unit Other Eligible Groups in Phase 2 Booking System - Other Currently Eligible Groups (publichealthgreybruce.on.ca)
o Frequently asked questions – visit: Book Vaccine Appointment (publichealthgreybruce.on.ca)
o Appointments are not available by calling your healthcare provider. Appointments are not available by calling the Health Unit.
Actions Taken In the Past 24 Hours:
·Media Release COVID-19 Associated with Georgian Bay Community School
·Media Release COVID-19 Confirmed Outbreak at Queen of Hearts Nursery School
·Public Health has been actively engaged to support schools with ongoing updates and consultation meetings with local Boards and officials from all schools in Grey and Bruce
Provincial COVID-19 Data - https://covid-19.ontario.ca/data
·Provincial Hospitalization Data
·Provincial Likely Source of Infection Data
·Raw Data to Download - Provincial
Media Relations
Please connect with Media Coordinator, Drew Ferguson, at D.Ferguson@publichealthgreybruce.on.ca 519-376-9420 or 1-800-263-3456 ext. 1269
Vaccine_Data_Overview.pdf (publichealthgreybruce.on.ca)
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