The latest update on the provincial COVID-19 website says there’s a case of the virus in the North Bay Parry Sound District.

The case involves a woman in her 60’s who travelled to Egypt.

The health unit says “due to privacy we are only able to say that they live within our district.”

Officials say she is in self-isolation.

The Health Unit says the individual followed self-isolation recommendations upon returning home and called the Health Unit, who referred her to the North Bay Regional Health Centre’s COVID-19 Assessment Centre, where she was assessed and tested.

The individual was not admitted to hospital, she was sent home to continue self-isolation and the Health Unit is monitoring her.

 

The Assessment Centre took all necessary precautions including infection control, assessment and testing processes.

“The individual followed public health COVID-19 recommendations and was assessed and tested using our district’s coordinated health care system response, which includes public health, primary care and acute care services,” said Dr. Jim Chirico, Medical Officer of Health. “We need to continue to work together as a community to keep one another healthy. The measures we are asking people to do now will save lives. Stay home if you are sick or in self-isolation and physically distance yourself from others.”

Officials say it is expected that there will be more individuals who test positive for COVID-19 within the Health Unit’s district.

They say the public plays an important role in helping to reduce the spread of COVID-19.

Physical distancing (two meters) will help to slow the spread of COVID-19 and save lives.

Protect yourself and those around you by regularly washing your hands or using alcohol-based sanitizers, not touching your face, covering your cough or sneeze and staying home when sick.

The Health Unit says as of 11:55 am on Thursday, 180 people had been tested for COVID-19 and 104 of the tests came back negative. Results of 75 are pending and the other test is the positive case.

Overall, Ontario is reporting 170 new COVID-19 cases today, bringing the provincial total to 858.

That’s the largest single-day spike in cases by far.

At least 12 of the new cases are hospitalized, including two people in their 20s.

(With files from The Canadian Press)

(Bonfield)

A state of emergency has been declared in Bonfield due to COVID-19.
Bonfield Mayor Randy McClaren says the community’s Emergency Control Group has met twice and they want to do everything necessary for the citizens health and this is one step they can take.

He’s encouraging residents to stay home, stay safe and wash hands frequently.

(HANDS)

Hands TheFamilyHelpNetwork.ca has changed the way it serves clients, moving the majority of its services to online and telephone support and that includes counselling services and walk-in clinics.

All of the offices are closed.

For children and youth in crisis, Hands’ Crisis Services are available 24/7 by calling the Mental Health Crisis Line at 1-844-287-9072 to receive support.

Hands Child and Youth Mental Health (CYMH) counselling clinics, typically offered in-person as a walk-in clinic in North Bay, Sturgeon Falls and Sundridge have transitioned to an online format.

Services now offer bookings for counselling clinics online Tuesdays and Thursdays, from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m.

Clients can book an appointment by calling 1-800-668-8555.

Once registered, clients will receive instructions to connect with a Child and Family Therapist online.

North East Region services are operational through video conference and telephone to offer assessments and service navigation.

Staff members are available at 1-855-376-6376 and email dso@handstfhn.ca.

(Light It Up Blue)

This spring’s Light It Up Blue event is being postponed because of the COVID-19 pandemic.
Organizer Mark Lyons tells BayToday he’s disappointed the annual Autism Awareness event won’t take place early next month at City Hall.
“April 2nd is World Autism Day and I have to postpone it, if I can’t postpone it I’ll have to cancel it this year but we still have special needs kids, I’m trying to find a way to make it better for them,” he says.
He is still looking to raise some funds by selling blue socks in honour of World Autism Day, with five dollars from each pair going to a local Autism-related initiaitve.
“$1500 right now to whatever, and usually there’s people that donate on top of that, so that’s what I’m hoping for. Something towards Autism North Bay is what it’s going to be for sure,” Lyons says.
The socks can be purchased from Lyons at Stockfish Ford, where he works, or you can email him at marklyons69@hotmail.com
The fourth annual Light It Up Blue event last year raised over $4,000, which went to One Kids Place to support equipment purchases.
FILE PHOTO:  THE CANADIAN PRESS/AP-NIAID-RML via AP

Filed under: covid-19, north-bay-parry-sound