CORNWALL, Ontario – In his update to the media on Monday, Sept. 14, Dr. Paul Roumeliotis, Medical Officer of Health with the Eastern Ontario Health Unit (EOHU) explained that the number of cases of COVID-19 in the region jumped by nine over the weekend.
Of those new cases, five are in Prescott-Russell and four in the United Counties of SD&G.
Dr. Roumeliotis explained that these cases were all in adults, some of whom at been to parties that were attended by individuals from Quebec who were positive for COVID-19, or from individuals who work in Ottawa.
There is one active COVID-19 case in Cornwall, one in South Glengarry, three in South Dundas, six in North Glengarry, one in Hawkesbury, one in The Nation, one in Russell, and 11 in Clarence-Rockland for a total of 25 active cases of COVID-19.
Dr. Roumeliotis noted that most of these cases were in individuals under the age of 40 and that many of them contracted the virus at social gatherings.
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“We have had some cases where we have had to get the police involved and we will not hesitate to do so,” he said. “I can see us cutting back on the numbers allowed in public gatherings.”
Since the start of the pandemic, there have been a total of 214 confirmed cases of COVID-19 in the EOHU region, 177 which are resolved. Twelve individuals have died of COVID-19 in the EOHU region.
Dr. Roumeliotis said he was uncertain if the jump in cases indicated the start of a second wave of the COVID-19 pandemic in the EOHU area.
“Social distancing, masking, and only going out when it is necessary is so important right now,” said Dr. Roumeliotis when asked if the area was entering a second wave of the virus. “We don’t want to lose the progress we made during the first wave.”
