In Parry Sound, no new cases or recoveries were added over the weekend keeping the district at two active cases of COVID-19.
The local Medical Officer of Health Dr. Jim Chirico held a press conference with local experts Monday morning providing an update on the region’s vaccination plan and pandemic response.
Public Health Physician Dr. Carol Zimbalatti, said over the weekend only one new case of COVID-19 was reported to the health unit district-wide.
The new case, currently self-isolating, is a 60 to 79-year old from Nipissing District associated with an outbreak.
One recovery was added to Nipissing placing that district at four active cases of the virus.
The health unit also reported the fifth person from Parry Sound to get a preliminary positive result for a variant of concern.
Dr. Chirico also announced he will be holding weekly updates every Thursday at 10 AM, in addition to bi-weekly municipal leaders’ meetings in response to repeated public calls for more communication from the health unit.
Asked about the possibility of separating Nipissing from Parry Sound in terms of health unit jurisdiction, Dr. Chirico said these matters are all mandated through legislation.
He says pre-COVID, the provincial government was reviewing the organization of Public Health Units.
However, the process that was looking at reorganizing the health unit districts was put on hold once COVID hit, but will be revisited once the pandemic is over according to Dr. Chirico.