Medical Officer of Health Dr. Kit Young Hoon/CKDR Files
Our region’s Medical Officer of Health says Thunder Bay’s increasing COVID-19 cases poses some concerns for our region.
There are 273 active cases as of Tuesday in the Thunder Bay District Health Unit area, with many area schools affected by cases and the regional hospital nearing full capacity due to the sharp increase in infections.
“What’s happening in Thunder Bay is a potential risk for our catchment area,” says Medical Officer of Health Dr. Kit Young Hoon. “Just because of how people move and the possibility of spread of COVID-19 so I think its important for people to be aware of that risk, especially if they have to travel to Thunder Bay for essential reasons.”
Thunder Bay is currently in the Red-Control level and the health unit doesn’t recommend non essential travel to any region that’s at a different colour level of the Province’s COVID-19 Response Framework.
“If they go up a colour and they go into shut down, then certain businesses will be closed,” Young Hoon stated, “in which case there’s possibility of individuals coming from the Thunder Bay District Health Unit catchment area to our catchment area to get service which and that could potential lead to spread of COVID-19. ”
We should know by Friday if the Thunder Bay District moves back into lockdown, meanwhile Young Hoon explains why the Northwestern Health Unit region has remained in Yellow-Protect so far.
“Most of the cases are affecting only one community and that situation has not changed, so at this point I think it’s reasonable to continue in Yellow but we are monitoring the situation very very closely.”
As of Tuesday the region’s active case count stands at 91 with 82 in the Kenora area, five in the Sioux Lookout Region, three in the Dryden/Red Lake region and one in the Rainy River District.
“If there was suggestion of spread beyond that community, or significant spread within other communities then we would need to think about changing the colour code,” said the Medical Officer of Health. “So those conversation will happen over the course of this week and so we will be monitoring the data over the course of this week to determine what the best level is to be recommended.”
(With Files From Colin Redston and Kevin Jeffrey/Thunder Bay)
