The second case of COVID-19 has been confirmed in the North.
Public Health Sudbury & Districts Medical Officer of Health, Dr. Penny Sutcliffe says the second case of COVID-19 is a Sudbury woman in her 60s who was in close contact with the first confirmed case.
She says the woman is in self-isolation.
Health Sciences North says they have no admitted patients who have tested positive, but people are being asked not to come to emergency.
Rather, a testing site has been set up at 56 Walford Road and anyone showing symptoms is asked to call ahead.
Also, visitors are restricted at all area hospitals in the Algoma, Manitoulin and Sudbury Districts.
No visitors are being allowed in long-term care facilities either, the only exception being access for palliative care, trauma or seriously ill patients or residents.
In related news, since Wiikwemikoong schools are considered private institutions, the Wiikwemikoong Board of Education will host a special meeting this week to decide whether to follow the Ontario government’s directive for public schools to be closed for two weeks after the March Break.
The Moose has also set up a category to deal with cancellations at our site: myespanolanow.com/my algomamanitoulinnow.com.
Any businesses, institutions, charities and individuals can access the site, click on the category and provide the information to the public.
ACROSS CANADA
Canada’s chief public health officer is warning that the window to prevent the rapid spread of the coronavirus is narrowing.
Doctor Theresa Tam says Canadians must act now to “flatten the curve”…..slow the spread of the virus so our medical services aren’t overwhelmed by a huge jump in the number of new infections.
She says Canadians arriving home from abroad should go into self-isolation for 14 days, whether feeling ill or not.
The city of Ottawa’s chief medical officer says there could be as many as one-thousand undiagnosed cases among the capital’s one-million people, mainly infected by travellers who’ve come home.
Dr. Vera Etches is recommending Ottawa residents stay home, keep their children out of day care, and maintain a distance of at least one meter from other people.
More than 300 coronavirus cases have now been reported in Canada.
Ontario reported an increase of 42 cases yesterday, the biggest one-day increase since the outbreak began, bringing the total in the province to 145.
IN ONTARIO:
The Ford government is promising to bring the legislature back in emergency session this week to approve a bill that would protect workers who have to take unpaid leave because of self-isolation, quarantine or because they are caring for others suffering from the virus.
But there’s no word yet on whether that will include any financial compensation.
The NDP say they will cooperate with any legislation that helps people take necessary time off without losing their wages.
In 2018, the government scrapped a law that provided workers with two paid sick days a year.
The provincial government has also announced that hospitals will begin scaling back elective surgeries to prepare for an influx of coronavirus cases.
And all casinos across the province are being closed until further notice.
AROUND THE WORLD
Around the world, there are now about 170-thousand cases of the coronavirus, with more than 64-hundred deaths.
There are now more cases reported outside of China than in, with Europe continuing to be the current epicenter of the outbreak.
Germany is closing its borders with several of its neighbours, while the populations of Italy and Spain remain under lockdown.
Cases in Italy have spiked to 25-thousand, with more than 18-hundred deaths.
In Ireland, all pubs have been closed in advance of tomorrow’s St. Patrick’s Day celebrations.
And two cruise ships with coronavirus patients on board are still at sea, with no port willing to accept them.
A third ship has been granted permission to dock in Cuba.
HEALTH SCIENCE’S NORTH: Residents meeting criteria must call in advance at (705) 671-7373 between 9 am and 5 pm, 7 days per week, instead of presenting themselves to HSN’s Emergency Department. Where possible, patient consultations are progressively being held by teleconference or videoconference. Visitors who are not feeling well should not come to HSN.
Elective surgeries and procedures within the surgical program scheduled for the weeks of March 15th and March 22nd are being cancelled. Patients are being contacted directly by HSN.
Visitor restrictions were introduced on Sunday:
- Inpatient Areas: Only one family member/caregiver age 18 or more during regular visiting hours (9 am – 9 pm). A single visitor under 18 may be permitted under special circumstances.
- Ambulatory Areas: Only one family member/caregiver age 18 or more if absolutely necessary.
- Visitors encouraged to keep their visit short.
- Patients presenting with COVID-19 symptoms asked to not bring any visitor.
- No visitors in high-risk areas (e.g. Isolation rooms, Emergency Department, Intensive Care Unit, Kirkwood site)
- Exceptions will be made in situations involving trauma, end of life
Patient and family common rooms at HSN have been closed.
