Thunder Bay – COVID-19 Update – There are 367 active cases of COVID-19 in the Thunder Bay District.
The Thunder Bay District Health Unit reports 61 new cases on March 4, 2021. There was another death from the virus as well bringing the total to 32.
There were 52 cases resolved.
- 30 Close contact
- 7 No known exposure
- 1 Thunder Bay District Jail Outbreak
- 23 Pending
To provide some perspective on the numbers, York Region reported 64 cases today. York Region has a population of 1.2 million. There are under 150,000 people in the Thunder Bay District.
Ontario COVID-19 Overview
Ontario health officials report 994 new cases of COVID-19 on Thursday. This represents a slight increase from the 958 cases reported on Wednesday.
In the hotspots, Toronto reports 298 cases, followed by Peel Region with 171, and York Region with 64 cases of the virus.
The daily update is based on 65,643 tests completed but there remains a backlog of 42,723 tests so the numbers could be higher than reported.
COVID-19 Prevention
Protect yourself and others around you by knowing the facts and taking appropriate precautions. Follow advice provided by your local health authority.
To prevent the spread of COVID-19:
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- Clean your hands often. Use soap and water, or an alcohol-based hand rub.
- Maintain a safe distance from anyone who is coughing or sneezing.
- Wear a mask when physical distancing is not possible.
- Don’t touch your eyes, nose or mouth.
- Cover your nose and mouth with your bent elbow or a tissue when you cough or sneeze.
- Stay home if you feel unwell.
- If you have a fever, cough and difficulty breathing, seek medical attention.
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Calling in advance allows your healthcare provider to quickly direct you to the right health facility. This protects you, and prevents the spread of viruses and other infections.
Masks
Masks can help prevent the spread of the virus from the person wearing the mask to others. Masks alone do not protect against COVID-19, and should be combined with physical distancing and hand hygiene. Follow the advice provided by your local health authority.
Ask the TBDHU
Readers have been asking questions about the current situation in the region regarding COVID-19.
We asked the Thunder Bay District Health Unit your questions, here are the responses:
Why are businesses allowed to be open during this lockdown but were not during the last lockdown?
Before TBDHU was placed in the COVID-19 Response Framework (the colour-coded system), all of Ontario was under a Provincewide Shutdown that had a set of regulations in place. Currently, TBDHU is in the Grey – Lockdown level of the Framework, which has a different set of regulations that must be followed. A summary of the public health measures and restrictions required for the Grey – Lockdown level is available at www.tbdhu.com/currentlevel or on the Ministry’s COVID-19 Response Framework website. Businesses that are allowed to be open must have all health and safety measures in place.
In February, the TBDHU area was moved out of the provincial “Shutdown” and back into the COVID-19 Response Framework (the colour-coded system). Currently, TBDHU is in the Grey – “Lockdown” level of the Framework. Shutdown and lockdown have a different set of regulations that must be followed.
A summary of the public health measures and restrictions required for the Grey – Lockdown level is available at TBDHU.com/currentlevel or on the Ontario Government’s COVID-19 Response Framework web page. Details are also provided in Ontario Regulation 82/20: Rules for Areas in Stage 1.
Businesses that are allowed to be open must have all health and safety measures in place.
What is the Positivity Rate and what does it mean?
The positivity rate (sometimes referred to as ‘percent positivity’ or ‘percent positive rate’) refers to the percentage of all COVID-19 tests performed that are actually positive. The positivity rate can tell public health two things: the current level of disease transmission in our community and whether we are doing enough testing to keep up with the level of disease transmission. A high positivity rate means that the level of COVID-19 transmission, relative to the amount of testing, is high at this point in time. A high positivity rate suggests it is a good time to add more testing, as well as, restrictions to slow the spread of the disease.
What is the incubation period for COVID-19?
The incubation period is the time from when a person is exposed to the virus that causes COVID-19 to the time they develop symptoms. The longest known incubation period for COVID-19 is 14 days.
A person with COVID-19 can be infectious to others 48 hours before symptoms appear.
Are there cases of the variants in Thunder Bay?
Variants of concern have not been detected in cases of COVID-19 in TBDHU at this time.
What is a Section 22 Order and what does it mean?
The Section 22 Class Order is a legal order that enables the TBDHU to enforce self-isolation requirements for the group of individuals that it applies to. The self-isolation requirements have not changed. Failure to comply with the order is an offence for which someone can be charged. Those under the age of 16 cannot be charged, thus parents/caregivers are responsible for ensuring children in their care are self-isolating when they are required to do so. More details can be found at www.tbdhu.com/section22
Do you have a question? Send your questions to newsroom@netnewsledger.com and we will work to get an answer.
