First confirmed case of COVID-19 reported in Haliburton County, regional health unit says
The first confirmed case of COVID-19 has been reported in Haliburton County, the region’s health unit announced late Wednesday afternoon.
According to the Haliburton, Kawartha, Pine Ridge District Health Unit, the case involves a man in his 90s who, on Monday, arrived by ambulance to Haliburton Highlands Health Services after reporting abdominal pain.
The hospital is locate about 100 km north of Peterborough.
The health unit says the man was diagnosed with pneumonia and tested for COVID-19 with results on Wednesday confirming he is positive. The Haliburton County resident remains hospitalized in isolation and recovering, the health unit said.
The case is another example of community transmission, the health unit notes, since the man did not have travel history or been in direct contact with a confirmed case of COVID-19.
“We are so pleased to hear that this man is recovering,” says Dr. Lynn Noseworthy, the health unit’s medical officer of health. “We know that COVID-19 can be devastating for our older population and that is why we are imploring everyone to do their part in stopping the spread of COVID-19.
“This new case is another vivid reminder that we must all take steps — like self-isolating, handwashing and physical distancing — to protect ourselves and others from the virus.”
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The case now means there are confirmed cases of COVID-19 in all three counties served by the health unit. The health unit’s website reported 63 total cases in its jurisdiction as of Tuesday (data is at least 25 hours behind current updates) which includes the City of Kawartha Lakes (48 cases) and Northumberland County (15 cases).
The health unit reported 13 deaths as of Tuesday, but that number jumped to 15 following reports of two more deaths at the Pinecrest Nursing Home in Bobcaygeon, according to the nursing home’s medical director.
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