Local COVID-19 update from KFL&A Public Health
The number of confirmed active cases of COVID-19 in the Kingston, Frontenac, Lennox & Addington (KFL&A) Public Health region has held steady around 45 for the past seven days, while testing levels remained strong through the holidays.
This is down from a record high of 112 confirmed active cases on Wednesday Dec. 16, 2020.
Speaking in a community update posted to YouTube on Monday, Jan. 4, 2021, Medical Officer of Health Dr. Kieran Moore said other numbers in the region are looking relatively good.
“We continue to have a lower rate of infection than elsewhere in the province, especially the GTA, and very good testing rates,” he said.
“Over three thousand people got tested last week. I have to thank everyone that’s gone to the assessment centres, those that work there, and at our lab. We still have a very good turnaround time,” he said.
Dr. Moore noted that the rate of infection for the Kingston, Frontenac, Lennox & Addington (KFL&A) Public Health region is 19.2 per 100,000, per week.
“If you look at Ontario overall, the rate for the province is 134, the rate for the province of Quebec is 208, and for some regions of Ontario they’re as high as Peel at 197,” he added.
He also explained that the rate for positive tests for the KFL&A Public Health region is only .58 per cent. “At the provincial level, it’s 8.4 per cent of tests that are positive today… We’re doing just marvelous locally.”
Public Health confirmed seven new cases of COVID-19 on Monday, Jan. 4, 2021. The number of new cases per day has ranged between three and ten since Sunday, Dec. 27, 2020. COVID-19 assessment centres were closed on Christmas Day, Friday, Dec. 25, 2020, so there were no cases to report on Boxing Day.
Dr. Moore compared the current active caseload with early December, when the community reported over 100 active cases for four straight days. The number fluctuates daily as existing cases recover and new ones are counted. Since Tuesday, Dec. 29, 2020 and Monday, Jan. 4, 2021 the number of confirmed active cases has ranged between 44 and 50.
“That number has come down. So, thanks to everyone that’s adhered to the best practices,” he said. “We’re going to see the full impact of the holidays over the next 10 days or so. Certainly, by the 14th we should have seen the impact of the social activities that occurred. So, we’re not through the woods yet.”
Dr. Moore reconfirmed that there is currently no influenza circulating in the KFL&A region, so anyone experiencing flu-like symptoms should seek a COVID-19 test.
“Please monitor yourself. If you have any symptoms compatible with COVID-19 please get tested,” he said. “If you get a fever and muscle aches, it’s COVID until proven otherwise.”
He added that “the system is working well locally,” and repeatedly thanked the community for adhering to infection prevention best practices, getting tested, and following Public Health advice.