The Simcoe Muskoka District Health Unit did officially declare an outbreak at Collingwood Loblaws store last week.
There have been six confirmed staff cases, and the health unit declared the workplace outbreak on Dec. 9.
The first cases were confirmed in one staff member on Nov. 27 and another on Dec. 4 with the employees' last shift being Nov. 21 and Dec. 4 respectively.
Last week, the Simcoe Muskoka District Health Unit’s medical officer of health Dr. Charles Gardner said the health unit was falling behind on investigations and that was impacting their response speed.
He said declaring a workplace outbreak gives the health unit more authority in the situation.
“Once you’ve declared an outbreak, you’re in a position to require everyone there get tested,” he said. “You’re more empowered to take more sweeping action.”
Dr. Gardner further noted it’s in everybody’s best interest if that action is done earlier rather than later.
There are two other workplace outbreaks in Simcoe County, including a Canada Post sorting facility on Morrow Road in Barrie.
The health unit has confirmed 12 positive staff cases at the facilitiy.
One unnamed emergency service centre in Barrie is also in outbreak with five positive staff cases.
There are four long-term homes, three retirement homes, one hospital, one correctional facilitiy, five congregate settings and seven schools in outbreak, and all are in Simcoe County.
Outbreaks are declared at long-term and retirement homes where one staff or resident tests positive. There does not have to be evidence of spread within the facility, as per the province’s rules for outbreaks at long-term care and retirement homes.
The active institutional outbreaks in Simcoe County are as follows:
- Central North Correctional Centre, Penetanguishene, declared Dec. 14, one staff and two inmates testing positive.
- Georgian Bay General Hospital, Midland, declared Dec. 4, 21 staff cases and 16 patient cases.
- Mill Creek Care Centre, Barrie, declared Dec. 6, one staff case
- Waterford Retirement Community, Barrie, declared Dec. 6, one staff case
- Coleman Care Centre, Barrie, declared Dec. 10, one positive staff case.
- Raglan Village, Collingwood, declared Dec. 12, one resident case.
- Bradford Valley Care Community, Bradford West Gwillimbury, declared Dec. 11, onestaff case.
- Trillium Manor, Orillia, declared Dec. 14, one staff case
- Kingsmere Retirement Living, Alliston, declared Dec. 11, two resident and two staff cases there.
There are currently seven schools in Simcoe County experiencing outbreaks. The health unit has to see evidence of transmission within the school before declaring an outbreak at an educational facility.
The school outbreaks include:
- St. Joseph’s Catholic High School in Barrie, declared Dec. 11, four cases
- Bear Creek Secondary School in Barrie, declared Dec. 9, six cases
- Portage View Public School, declared Dec. 4, four cases
- Nantyr Shores Secondary School, declared Dec. 3, three cases
- Bradford District High School, Bradford West Gwillimbury, five cases
- Barrie North Collegiate Institute, Barrie, declared Dec. 14, three cases
- Our Lady of Grace Catholic School, Angus, declared Dec. 14, two cases
There are five congregate setting outbreaks in Simcoe County. A congregate setting refers to a place where a number of people reside permanently or temporarily. The health unit does not name the facilities unless there are close contacts they cannot reach privately.
The active congregate setting outbreaks include:
- A hospice centre with one staff case
- A group home declared in outbreak Nov. 30 now has 30 staff and 19 resident cases
- A group home declared in outbreak Dec. 9 has two staff cases
- A group home declared in outbreak Dec. 12 has one resident and one staff case
Not only have outbreaks increased in the region this week, the region’s health unit is now reporting more than 50 cases per 100,000 people per week with a growth rate of 1.8 per cent.
The health unit has confirmed 288 cases over the last seven days.
“We are challenged in our ability to keep up with cases,” said Dr. Gardner.
He said the health unit’s case and contact tracing system now involves less investigation than was conducted when there were fewer cases being reported.
“For the most part with our cases, we contact them once,” he said. “We don’t do a follow up when their isolation is over. We give them a date and they come out of isolation on their own.”
For several weeks the health unit has been asking some confirmed cases to reach out to their own close contacts to let them know they were exposed.
“We have moved to a higher degree of doing this,” said Gardner, adding the health unit does more investigating and all of the contact tracing and follow up involved with any outbreaks.
“Anyone is most welcome to call us, but we’ve had to simplify the process,” he said. “I will readily admit that is less than ideal.”
If cases drop again, added Gardner, the health unit will re-institute more in-depth case and contact tracing.
