THUNDER BAY - The number of COVID-19 cases in the Thunder Bay District has jumped in recent days and even though the majority of cases are associated with outbreaks inside congregate living spaces, the medical officer of health warns there is still a risk to the broader community.
“We have certainly had some big outbreaks that are driving our numbers but we are seeing spread that aren’t related to those outbreaks,” said Dr. Janet DeMille, medical officer of health with the Thunder Bay District Health Unit.
“COVID-19 is here. It is going to appear out of the blue and it is going to spread very quickly. The outbreaks are looking a little more dramatic but we are still seeing signs of spread.”
On Thursday, the Thunder Bay District Health Unit reported a single-day high of new cases with 56. However, 43 of those new cases were associated with an outbreak at the Thunder Bay Correctional Centre.
DeMille said she is very concerned with the situation at the Thunder Bay Correctional Centre and the Thunder Bay District Jail.
“The results are quite shocking,” she said. “We very much are still working on this actively and we are expecting it to unfold over the next several days. There are people that are coming and going and the virus can spread outside of that as well.”
Containing an outbreak in a congregate living facility poses many challenges, particularly for correctional centres in the district already dealing with overcrowding.
According to DeMille, measures have been put in place at these facilities, including cohorting those who have tested positive, wearing masks, and managing interactions.
“We know there is a lot happening with the Ministry of the Solicitor General to lessen the burden by moving people out and transferring them elsewhere,” DeMille said.
“The extent of spread we saw yesterday with the number of cases, we want everyone tested in that facility. We are reaching out to a number of the staff to assess the risk level that they could have it. The virus clearly spread in that facility.”
A large number of tests were conducted on inmates but there is concern that more staff could have been exposed and the health unit will be conducting testing of staff in the coming days.
While the tests will be prioritized and should be returned this weekend, staff members who have worked on or after Jan. 10 are being asked to self-isolate and only report to work wearing all proper personal protective equipment. Members of their household who may have come in contact with correctional centre staff are also being asked to self-isolate.
The health unit is also looking to contact fewer than five individuals who have been released from custody in recent days regarding testing and possible self-isolation.
Southbridge Roseview Manor, which declared an outbreak of COVID-19 in November, has also reported two new cases on Friday.
“It is definitely challenging,” DeMille said. “A great job was being done but we are still seeing a little bit of transmission, which is unfortunate. It has definitely slowed down. There is vaccination happening. We know staff have been vaccinated as well. Not all of them. We are working on that. Hopefully it comes to an end soon.”
And while a majority of new cases reported in the district in recent days are associated with these outbreaks, DeMille warns that it can still lead to community spread of the virus and people must remain vigilant.
“It’s certainly, all of this together, makes me concerned about what is happening in this area and can be quite uncomfortable,” she said. “The more virus we have in the community, the more at risk we are of having broader spread in the community. It feels uncomfortable right now but we are working hard to try to contain it.”
There is light at the end of the tunnel with the COVID-19 vaccine but delays in deliveries of doses are presenting some challenges as well.
“We are really planning how to roll out that vaccine program and just hoping we can do it more when we have the supply,” DeMille said.
Trends are also moving in the right direction, DeMille added, with the province reporting fewer daily cases in this week than in previous weeks.
If the trends continue, the province will be in a much better place in three weeks when the province-wide lockdown is expected to end. But as always, it will depend on the numbers.
“I think it really depends on the numbers and what is happening in our area,” DeMille said. “I recognize the very significant impact restrictions have but I also recognize that we have to control this virus. It’s going to depend on what happens in that final week.”
DeMille is reminding people to continue to practice all public health guidelines and remain vigilant. There is reason to be optimistic but there is still a long road ahead.
“We can’t let our guard down right now. We are in the middle of this right now,” she said. “It will get better at sometime, hopefully in the not too distant future. We need to take this seriously. We are nearing the end. We are closer to the end of this pandemic than we are to the beginning and we have to hold on.”
