Dr. David Colby, the Medical Officer of Health in Chatham-Kent, and the Chatham-Kent Public Health Unit have illustrated how COVID-19 impacted the community during a recent community outbreak.
“In October, CK Public Health declared an outbreak in a community setting that was later revealed to be a place of worship,” CK Public Health officials said on their website.
“We are sharing information about this outbreak now to show how easily COVID-19 can spread, and how we all need to work together to stop it.”
CK Public Health officials say the graphic featured above, along with the video below from Medical Officer of Health Dr. David Colby, shows how one COVID-19 infection led to two declared outbreaks, 40 people being infected across 24 households, three people being hospitalized and nearly 500 people having to self-isolate because they were exposed.
“It is a reminder that our individual actions can impact others – those that we work, or live with, who might be at higher risk of complications from COVID-19,” CK Public Health officials say.
“Each time someone tests positive, our team works quickly, efficiently, and compassionately to contact the person who tested positive and the people who have been in close contact with them. With each person that tests positive, Public Health Nurses spend hours following-up, providing advice and supporting people to be able to self-isolate.”
CK Public Health officials say public health measures are working to stop the COVID-19 virus from spreading in Chatham-Kent.
“We are very thankful to all the community members who are working hard to keep each other safe,” public health officials say.
“In total, to stop this outbreak, hundreds of community members from schools, group living settings, service settings, and workplaces isolated for 14 days to protect their families, colleagues, classmates, and our community. Without this collective effort, COVID-19 would continue to spread, resulting in further lost time at school/work and more people getting sick.”
CK Public Health officials added they’ve learned a lot about COVID-19 since the pandemic was declared in March.
“We truly are all in this together,” public health officials added.
On Monday November 23, Chatham-Kent moved into the ‘Yellow-Protect’ level of the Keeping Ontario Safe and Open Framework, public health officials say.
“We are grateful for your continued effort to follow changing public health measures,” officials say.
“With case numbers rising, we need to continue to practice these measures to protect our health and safety. If we let our guard down, it can have rippling effects throughout the community.”
More details from the Chatham-Kent Public Health Unit:
– The average time to complete an initial assessment of someone who tests positive for COVID-19 is approximately 1 hour
– The average time to complete an initial assessment of someone who has been in contact with someone who tests positive for COVID-19 is approximately 30 minutes
– Wellness checks take approximately 10 to 15 minutes, on average, and are performed at minimum on days one, seven and 14, but more frequently if needed.
“No one intends to get COVID-19, nor does anyone want to spread this virus to others,” public health officials say.
“We share this information with the intention to show how easily COVID-19 can spread. We all have a responsibility to take precautions to keep each other safe during this pandemic. Thank you to the community of Chatham-Kent for working together to contain this outbreak.”
To continue to keep one another safe and stop the spread of COVID-19, CK Public Health officials are asking the community to continue to follow these important public measures:
– Physical distance (2 metres) from those outside your household
– Avoid non-essential travel and gatherings
– Wash hands frequently or use 70% alcohol hand sanitizer
– Wear a face covering
– Stay home if you are unwell.
Current status in Chatham-Kent
The active COVID-19 case count across Chatham-Kent sits at 27, CK Public Health officials say.
The Chatham-Kent Public Health Unit updated their ‘current situation’ page, which provides a summary of COVID-19 cases and testing in Chatham-Kent, on Tuesday, November 24, 2020.
There are currently three active workplace outbreaks and one school outbreak.
Public health officials say COVID-19 outbreaks have been declared at Taco Bell, located at 328 St. Clair Street in Chatham, and KFC, located at 720 Grand Avenue West in Chatham.
Details about the third workplace outbreak have not been released by public health officials.
The first school outbreak in Chatham-Kent was declared over the weekend at Winston Churchill Public School in Chatham. Details, here.
A total of 20 of the active cases are linked to close contact, four are linked to workplace outbreaks, one is unknown, one is linked to the school outbreak and one is linked to travel.
The total number of cases in Chatham-Kent is at 482.
CK Public Health officials say no one is currently hospitalized with COVID-19 from Chatham-Kent.
To date, 452 people have recovered from the virus in Chatham-Kent, while three people have died.
A total of 41,677 tests for the virus have been completed to date.
To view the full ‘current situation’ page from CK Public Health, click here.
For more information about COVID-19, residents are asked to visit
http://www.ckpublichealth.com/covid19Â or call the CK Public Health COVID-19 intake line at 519-355-1071 ex. 1900.
