Public Health Sudbury & Districts is reporting 20 new COVID-19 cases in residents in Greater Sudbury.
Through contact tracing, Public Health notifies all close contacts directly. If you are not contacted by Public Health, you are not considered a close contact.
“The detailed investigations to determine exposure settings and identify close contacts of all cases are ongoing. To date, close contacts of cases have been identified in household settings, at the McDonald’s located at 3575 Highway 144 in Chelmsford, and at Cambrian College. These individuals have been reached by Public Health and advised to self-monitor or self-isolate and seek testing, depending on their risk of exposure,” said Dr. Penny Sutcliffe, Medical Officer of Health with Public Health Sudbury & Districts.
“It is essential that everyone continues to stay home when they are feeling ill and get tested if they have any symptoms of COVID-19 to help limit the spread of infection,” added Dr. Sutcliffe.
Public Health works closely with every person who has been diagnosed with COVID-19 to understand their circumstances and prevent further spread. This is a rapidly evolving situation with a number of case investigations underway.
Of the newly reported cases (#143 to #162), all are from Greater Sudbury. One is a close contact of a confirmed case, one is outbreak associated, and the remaining are still under investigation.
All are self-isolating, as are all close contacts identified to date.
There are currently 38 active cases in the area.
"Though this increase in numbers is alarming, we must listen to the experts in public health with how we react," said Mayor Brian Bigger.
"I would like to remind you to continue to follow the guidance of Public Health—let's stay vigilant, let's stay smart. Even though kids are back in school and a lot is back to normal—we can't let our guard down for a moment. COVID-19 will find a way in if we let it. This weekend especially—let's keep our heads up and our masks on."
New provincial framework
Public Health Sudbury & Districts is currently in the Green- Prevent category of the Government of Ontario’s new COVID-19 response framework, which comes into effect Saturday, Nov. 7 at 12:01 a.m.
The situation will be carefully monitored to determine what, if any, the recent surge in cases has on the region’s category. Decisions to move to the next, Yellow-Protect are made by the province.
Changing categories would result in additional more targeted measures for specific sectors, institutions, and other settings.