The Simcoe Muskoka District Health Unit (SMDHU) reported today that Huntsville’s twelfth case of COVID-19 is related to a workplace outbreak.
A workplace outbreak is declared when a case has clearly been acquired within a workplace environment.
Although the health unit does not release the name of a business when there is an outbreak—except when there is concern that they cannot notify affected people via contact tracing—in order to protect privacy and reduce potential harm to both the individual and the business, Henrietta’s Pine Bakery had previously reported a case in one of its staff members. The health unit noted that this latest case is in a food-services business and that there are now two staff members at the business that have tested positive and are in self-isolation. No exposures were noted with regard to patrons at the business—the use of face coverings was in place so the concern was with staff in non-public areas where masks were not required. The facility has undergone a deep-clean.
The upward swing in the number of cases in Simcoe Muskoka, with 17 new cases reported through the long weekend, is “worrisome”, said Dr. Gardner, SMDHU’s medical officer of health. He added that it speaks to the importance of not becoming complacent about control measures—including keeping a physical distance of two metres, wearing a mask in indoor spaces, frequent hand-washing, self-monitoring for symptoms, and seeking assessment if you do develop symptoms—in order to prevent a second wave of the disease.
The Huntsville-area cases to date, by the date they were reported by the health unit have been:
March 24 – 18-34 year-old male, travel-related
March 27 – 65-79 year-old male, travel-related
March 27 – 65-79 year-old female, travel-related
April 1 – 45-64 year-old female, close contact of a known case
April 20 – 65-79 year-old male, institutional outbreak
April 27 – 45-64 year-old female, travel-related
May 5 – 80+ year-old female, institutional outbreak
June 8 – 65-79 year-old female, community acquired
June 16 – 45-64 year-old male, community acquired
July 13 – 35-44 year-old male, community acquired
August 31 – 18-34 year-old female, community acquired
September 8 – 0-17 year-old female, workplace outbreak
All but the most recent case have recovered.
Across Muskoka there have also been an additional 27 cases to date: eight in Gravenhurst (recovered), six in Muskoka Lakes (five recovered, one deceased), two in Lake of Bays (recovered), five in Bracebridge (one recovered), and six in Georgian Bay (recovered).
See all of Huntsville Doppler’s COVID-19 coverage here.
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The good news is that liberty still reigns – meaning that we’re free to do the right thing.
So…. do the right thing and wear a damn mask.
Yes, the masks are uncomfortable, hot and difficult to keep on sometimes…….I would rather that, than get infected (at 64) or worse …infect my loved ones and yours!!
Do the right thing!!!! It is such a small thing to do and it’s the kindest.
The motto should be ‘Wear a mask properly’. How many times do we see people wearing it below their nose, or hanging on their chin, or drooping down at the side of their face, hanging on one ear. Some people remove ‘only to talk to someone’ and that’s the time it is MOST important to wear it.
One is too many . Focus People !