The local health unit says the District of Parry Sound is seeing a spike in community transmission of COVID-19.
In the health unit’s weekly update, Public Health Physician Dr. Carol Zimbalatti said whether this leads to a longer local wave is up to residents.
“Yes, we are seeing more community transmission in Parry Sound District than we are elsewhere but it is possible that we can nip that in the bud with the appropriate measures,” Zimbalatti said.
She said it really depends on the community sticking to what Medical Officer of Health Dr. Jim Chirico said is and has been the advice for the past weeks which is;
“Follow the public health measures, assume that everybody you come in contact with has COVID-19 and really only go out for essential reasons,” said Dr. Chirico.
Zimbalati said whether in Parry Sound or in North Bay or Sturgeon Falls, assume that everyone we come in contact with outside of your household has COVID-19
“The public really holds the key in terms of determining whether this is a little blip or whether it is the start of a protracted wave,” She said.
In the last seven days, 21 new cases were reported from Parry Sound, which’s about a 17 percent jump in our district’s total case count in one week.
Dr. Zimbalatti also says cases of community spread means the numbers are likely higher than the 20 reported over the past week.
“This means that there are likely other cases in our communities that have not been tested; at the same time, testing rates across our district have been lower than usual since mid-march,” Zimballati explained.
She says it’s important to self-monitor for symptoms and get tested if you think you might have the virus, adding it’s important to do that even if you’re vaccinated as there have been a few cases reported in people who had just received their first shot of a vaccine.