Medical officer of health concerned about increase in outdoor group gatherings

Four confirmed COVID-19 cases are admitted to Timmins and District Hospital (TADH), including two in intensive care, according to Porcupine Health Unit Medical Officer of Health Dr. Lianne Catton.

In today's daily health table update, Catton said there are now 24 confirmed cases in the health unit's region. That includes three new cases reported last night, as well as three new positive tests today.

As of this morning, the health unit was aware of 355 tests being submitted locally. Of those, Catton said 296 are negative and the results of 35 are pending. There are also five resolved cases.

Since yesterday's health table update, there are two new cases in the area of Cochrane, Matheson, Iroquois Falls and Smooth Rock Falls. These cases include a woman in her 60s, as well as a man in his 60s. Both are contacts of other confirmed cases. They were each tested March 26 and are in self-isolation.

Catton said the 21st case is a woman in her 60s in Timmins, noting the gender was posted incorrectly last night. She was tested March 31, is in self-isolation and the investigation is ongoing.

A man in his 60s in Timmins was tested March 27. Catton said he is in the ICU at TADH.

“This case and another case are connected to each other, however at this point in time we don’t have any known links to other cases or international travel and the investigation remains ongoing,” she said.

A man in his 80s who was tested March 31 is also positive and admitted to TADH. Catton said the last report she had, he was in stable condition.

There is also a 24th confirmed case in the region. Catton received the positive test result on the way to the meeting and didn't have further details on it yet.

Further changes to the way confirmed cases are being reported have been announced.

“As you can all imagine, we are going to see more cases. This is not about to decrease unfortunately, I wish I could say it was, it’s not going to,” she said.

Catton said updates on the local numbers based on the previous day's numbers will be posted on the Porcupine Health Unit website daily at 8 a.m. At the end of the day there will be a bulletin with new information.

There have also been questions about group gatherings outside, as long as people are two-metres apart.

“At this point in time, I have to ask that we not do this. It is OK to wave to a neighbour from across the road, it is OK to say hello across the street or when you see someone and you’re more than two-metres away. But right now, I’m really concerned about the increase in gatherings outside for social get-togethers,” she said.

She recognized the changes are hard, unprecedented and aren't going to be short term.

"We’re going to be in this for a while, but I truly believe that how long we’re in this depends on how each and every one of us acts every single day going forward,” she said.

Timmins Mayor George Pirie talked about reports he's been getting about people gathering, or sharing vaping pipes.

For simple things like going to the post office. He said people should get the mail, but reminded them it's not a social activity.

“There’s an old saying, and this is very blunt, but you can’t cure stupid. We’re going to have to beat stupid, because it’s exactly behaviour like that that’s going to overwhelm our healthcare system,” he said. “Change your behaviour or it’ll be changed for you.”