After reporting several cases of COVID-19 in Meaford in recent days, the GBHU has confirmed the cases are linked and stem from a cluster of individuals who failed to adhere to social gathering recommendations.
“Grey Bruce Health Unit (GBHU) has identified a cluster of COVID-19 cases in eastern Grey County,” Dr. Ian Arra, the Medical Officer of Health, stated in a press release. “A number of active cases share a common association.”
In the last few days, GBHU’s contact tracing has followed up with approximately 100 contacts, including 32 known high-risk close contacts, within this one cluster.
Subsequent testing confirmed five individuals tested positive for COVID-19.
Those individuals, as well as all the close contacts in this cluster, have been asked to self-isolate for 14 days.
“It is expected a few more people currently being monitored by the health unit as a result of the cluster could test positive for the virus in the coming days,” Arra said. “Cases will continue to be identified on the health unit’s daily situation report.”
GBHU identified the cluster today, shortly after releasing the daily situation report, which did report one new case of COVID in Meaford. Meaford has now had a total of 12 COVID-19 cases.
“In this case, we are confident we have reached the close contacts of this cluster and we're managing them and it's not beyond our capacity,” Arra said. “While the outbreak is in several communities, the one thing in common is that people lowered their guards. It is mainly related to people over-extending social gatherings and having too many contacts.”
GBHU noted that if you have not been contacted by the public health unit, you do not need to be tested.
On Saturday, GBHU declared an outbreak of COVID-19 at Errinrung, the long-term care (LTC) facility located in Thornbury in the Town of the Blue Mountains (TBM).
According to today’s situation report from GBHU, Errinrung remains in outbreak status.
TBM Mayor, Alar Soever, confirmed that the outbreak at Errinrung is connected to this cluster.
“This is part of the cluster that has been identified and, as far as I know, this is limited to one health-care worker who is at home isolating. No new cases have been identified at the home,” Soever said.
Soever added that TBM and GBHU have been in constant contact since the cluster was identified and urges residents to stick to small social circles.
“While we have had a relatively few cases here, you can see that with five cases we have had to track approximately 100 people. Now, if you have 100 cases, and you have to track 100 people, that is 10,000 phone calls. It becomes impossible and we will lose control of the situation,” Soever said. “The solution is simple, we need everybody to help and stick to the public health recommendations.”
GBHU notes the cluster will be posted on a secure national monitoring site, accessed only by public health agencies, to assist in identifying any potential COVID-19 links or cases outside Grey Bruce.
Confirmed COVID-19 cases in Grey County include: Owen Sound (57); Southgate (16); Meaford (12); West Grey (9); Blue Mountains (8); Grey Highlands (6); Georgian Bluffs (2); Hanover (2); Chatsworth (1). Bruce County has had 30 confirmed cases.
