The North Bay Parry Sound District Health Unit has evidence of community transmission of COVID-19 in our region.
This means the virus is spreading within the community and is not linked to travel or a previously known individual who tested positive. The Health Unit says it’s “first, and to-date, only individual who tested positive due to community transmission is in self-isolation and their close contacts have been contacted by the Health Unit’s Communicable Disease Control program.”
See: North Bay Parry Sound District now has 6 positive COVID-19 cases
The Health Unit expects “transmission within the community will continue. The Health Unit’s Communicable Disease Control program works with any individual who tests positive to connect with their close contacts. If the person who tested positive was in a location that puts the public at risk the Health Unit will make the public aware.”
Community transmission stresses the need for physical distancing (2 metres). Gatherings of more than five people are now prohibited, except for private households with five or more people, child care centres supporting frontline health care workers and first responders provided the number of persons at each location does not exceed 50 people. Funerals would be permitted to proceed with up to 10 people at one time.
“We want to thank the community for working together to help slow the spread of COVID-19 by physical distancing. The public is the first line of defence and by continuing to stay home, regularly washing your hands or using alcohol-based sanitizers, not touching your face and covering your cough or sneeze we are keeping ourselves and those around us safe,” said Dr. Jim Chirico, Medical Officer of Health.
Currently, there is no specific treatment for COVID-19. It is important to remember that four out of five people with COVID-19 have no symptoms or mild symptoms. People who are mildly ill should isolate and care for themselves at home. Most will recover in one to two weeks by simply treating the symptoms.
If you think you may have COVID-19 symptoms or have been in close contact with someone who has it, first self-isolate and then use Ontario’s Self-Assessment Tool to see if you need to seek further care. If you need further assistance call your health care provider or the Health Unit at 1-800-563-2808. This will help keep the emergency room resources available for trauma and emergent care patients. If you have severe symptoms, such as difficulty breathing, you should call 911 and tell them your travel history and your symptoms.
Visit Ontario’s website to learn more about how the province continues to protect Ontarians from COVID-19.
For more information please visit myhealthunit.ca/COVID-19.