News Release: COVID-19 Outbreak at Eastholme Home for the Aged

NORTH BAY, ON - The North Bay Parry Sound District Health Unit (Health Unit) has declared a respiratory outbreak at Eastholme Home for the Aged - the causative agent is COVID-19. Aligning with the Ministry of Health guidelines for an outbreak in a long-term care home, a COVID-19 outbreak is declared with a single laboratory-confirmed case in a resident or staff member of a long-term care home. The individual who tested positive is a staff member at the long-term care home. The individual is currently in isolation and individuals who are high-risk contacts have been contacted by the Health Unit and are self-isolating.

“Our staff are working with Eastholme to provide important public health direction,” said Dr. Jim Chirico Medical Officer of Health. “It is critical that we continue to follow public health measures to help slow the spread of COVID-19 and help save lives.”

The Health Unit is asking the public to continue to practice COVID-19 public health measures especially limiting travel outside your home to essential trips only. Other measures include physical distancing, wearing a face covering, washing or sanitizing hands often and coughing or sneezing into your sleeve. The public is also required to follow the measures under the provincewide shutdown.

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 Toolto 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. If you have severe symptoms, such as difficulty breathing, you should call 911 and mention 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.

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Media Inquiries:

Alex McDermid, Public Relations Specialist
P: 705-474-1400, ext. 5221 or 1-800-563-2808
E: communications@healthunit.ca