“At this point, we do not have any outbreaks in any long-term care facility,” said Dr. Paul Roumeliotis, chief medical health officer for the Eastern Ontario Health Unit (EOHU), during his daily regional media teleconference April 16.

Dr. Roumeliotis responded to questions regarding recent mainstream media reports concerning serious outbreaks of COVID-19, including fatalities in B.C. and Québec seniors homes. Ontario also has a large number of confirmed COVID-19 cases among senior residents of retirement and long-term care facilities.

The EOHU has set up consultation committee to maintain contact with local seniors care facilities regarding their situations. Dr. Roumeliotis reaffirmed that the EOHU has not received any reports of any seniors in local care facilities who have contracted COVID-19.

At present the EOHU has confirmed 61 cases of COVID-19 spread throughout the United Counties of Prescott-Russell, the United Counties of Stormont-Dundas-Glengarry, and the City of Cornwall. Five of those cases are receiving hospital treatment.

In Prescott-Russell there are 36 confirmed COVID-19 cases, with 15 in Stormont-Dundas-Glengarry, and 10 in Cornwall. Dr. Roumeliotis is “not surprised” at the larger number of cases in Prescott-Russell. He noted the region is close to Ottawa and many Prescott-Russell residents work in Ottawa which means a greater likelihood of accidental exposure.

Dr. Roumeliotis also provided figures so far for the number of people who have passed through the five COVID-19 assessment centres set up in the Five Counties region and the City of Cornwall. The Hawkesbury centre has had 292 people go through its doors, 198 at the Cornwall centre, 155 at Casselman, 90 at Rockland, and 51 for the Winchester centre. Results for about half of the tests done for all of the centres are now processed, and Dr. Roumeliotis expects all the centres will be caught up on their test results soon.