Every weekday at noon for the duration of the COVID-19 emergency, a group led by Mayor George Pirie called the Timmins Health Table will issue an update.
Here are some of the messages coming out of the call on Thursday, March 26.
LATEST NUMBERS
The Cochrane District now has six confirmed COVID-19 cases: Five in Timmins, one in Cochrane.
Porcupine Health Unit medical officer of health Dr. Lianne Catton says they all have links to international travel.
“As of first thing this morning, we have conducted 195 tests,” she reported “We have 130 confirmed negative tests and six confirmed positive with 59 pending.”
Catton says the health unit’s COVID-19 information phone line is busy. Work is being done to expand its hours into early evenings. It’s also open from 11:00am to 3:00pm on weekends.
EMS STILL NEEDS PPE DONATIONS
The Cochrane District EMS stock of personal protection equipment for paramedics is still under pressure
District Social Services chief administrative officer Brian Marks says although ambulance call volumes are down in the rest of Ontario, it’s not happening here.
“In fact, in the month of March we’ve experienced an increase of 80 calls so far,” he says, “which is approximately 3.3 calls per day in the city of Timmins.”
Marks’s mandate includes homelessness. He told the mayor’s health table that the overnight shelter service at Living Space is suspended, and 27 people moved to the Northern College residence. That will enable personal distancing among the homeless. The Bon Air Motel had been used for a short time, but it won’t be anymore.
CHILD VACCINATIONS STILL AVAILABLE
During the COVID-19 pandemic, the Timmins Academic Family Health Team is still providing immunizations to children.
“It is extremely important that children’s immunizations to not lapse, so that they continue to be protected against all vaccine-preventable diseases,” says executive director Jennifer McLeod.
McLeod also warns anyone against running out of their prescription medications.
Here is the complete audio of today’s update: