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COVID-19 cases continue to rise in Brantford-Brant

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Dr. Elizabeth Urbantke is imploring residents to follow directives aimed at helping prevent the spread of COVID-19 as the number of local cases rises to 14.

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“We all have to do our part and that means practising physical distancing,” Brant’s acting medical officer of health said during a teleconference Tuesday with local media.

She said people must follow the directions of public health officials and local leaders with respect to staying home and maintaining a physical distance of two metres from other people when out of their homes.

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The Brant County Health Unit reported Tuesday that there are 14 laboratory confirmed positive cases of COVID-19 in Brantford and Brant County. That’s up from 11 on Monday and four late last week.

Of the 14 people who have tested positive, three are in hospital and two are in critical care. The others are self-isolating and have mild-symptoms, Urbantke said.

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The three new cases Tuesday are: a woman in her 50s who tested positive after coming in close contact with a confirmed case; a man in his 30s, who is believed to have contracted COVID-19 through community spread; and a woman in her 20s, who contracted the virus through close contact with an confirmed case. All three are self-isolating at their homes.

The community’s first positive case of COVID-19 became public March 18.

Urbantke said the increase in positive cases in recent days was expected and is due, in part, to a large number of test results coming into the health unit over the weekend. The results represent the clearing of a backlog of tests.

She said the test results show that community spread of COVID-19 has arrived in Brantford and Brant County where the person has no travel history or contact with another known case.

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Urbantke said this is a critical week in the battle against the pandemic. Health officials are hoping to see some positive results from physical distancing and other directives initiated a couple of weeks ago.

She noted that both the city and county this week announced that the closing of outdoor recreational amenities, including all skate parks, basketball courts, sports fields, picnic areas and shelters.

Taking such measures highlight the importance of physical distancing, Urbantke said.

Tests for COVID-19 are done by the Brant Community Healthcare System’s assessment centre at the civic centre auditorium.

People who think they may be infected are asked to first:

  • Take a self-assessment test online that walks a user through the symptoms of COVID-19 (found at covid-19.ontario.ca/self-assessment/#q0);
  • If the assessment calls for it, contact Telehealth Ontario at 1-866-797-0000 or your doctor;
  • And, if advised, then call the Brant Community Healthcare System hotline at 519-751-5818 to book an appointment at the assessment centre.

Don’t go to the assessment centre without an appointment.

Meanwhile residents are also being encouraged to wash their hands frequently and thoroughly, practise proper cough and sneeze etiquette to help prevent the spread.

Vball@postmedia.com
twitter.com/EXPVBall

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