Thunder Bay health officials test 32 people for COVID-19 virus

Thunder Bay District Health Unit said the city does not have any confirmed cases of COVID-19 as of March 16, but is still warning residents to take proper precautions when it comes to limiting the spread of the virus.

Dr. Janet DeMille, medical officer of health and CEO of the Thunder Bay District Health Unit, said in a press conference on Monday that currently there is no evidence of community spread of the virus in the city.

"Numbers of cases are increasing in Ontario and in Canada more broadly. This is not surprising," said DeMille in a Facebook live stream on Monday. "A very significant proportion of these increasing cases are from returning travelers who have been on a cruise are coming from other areas of the world, returning back to Canada and being diagnosed with COVID-19." 

Public health waiting for more COVID-19 test results

So far 32 tests have been administered in the region by public health and the hospital. DeMille said 16 tests have come back negative, while results of the rest are still pending. 

DeMille said as of now, the province and the rest of the country will stay in "containment mode," which is intended to to limit the overall spread of COVID-19, which was declared to be a global pandemic by the World Health Organization last week.

The update from the health unit comes just one day after the first northwestern Ontario COVID-19 case was confirmed by officials in Fort Frances. The individual with the confirmed case had just returned from traveling before being diagnosed. 

DeMille indicated that most new cases of COVID-19 are travel-related, and is what the health unit expects to see in northwestern Ontario. 

"I was also brought into the loop because of potential implications for Thunder Bay District Health Unit," said DeMille while addressing the positive COVID-19 Fort Frances case. "We are working well together across northwestern Ontario, across northern Ontario, and across the whole province." 

DeMille said the Fort Frances individual has a relative in Thunder Bay, and the two had been in contact. The Thunder Bay relative is self-isolating.

"It would not be surprising that we see more of these travel-related cases here, but these don't mean that there is community spread of the virus," DeMille said.

The health unit strongly recommends that all returning travelers from out of the country self-isolate for 14 days upon returning to Canada.

"This means staying at home and not moving around in the community and monitoring for symptoms among other things you could find that information on our website," said DeMille. This is my direction, it's also the direction of the Chief Public Health Officer of Canada and the Chief Medical Officer of Health of Ontario."

DeMille took time during the press conference to address "rumours" generated on social media concerning cases of COVID-19 in the city. She said the health units' strong communication with the hospital will allow for direct communication with the city should there be a confirmed case in Thunder Bay.

Currently, residents in Thunder Bay are encouraged to call the Thunder Bay District Health Unit or Telehealth before attending an assessment centre if they believe they have symptoms consistent with the COVID-19 virus. 

The Ontario Government has also provided a self-assessment tool which can be accessed here.

DeMille said the health unit has had difficulties keeping up with a "tremendous" number of phone calls they have received since the pandemic was declared. 

"We have mobilized our staff across the organization to improve our response to this. We have set up a call centre and we are operating on extended hours in evenings and on the weekend," she said.

"If you don't get through to us directly please leave a message with details, we will review these messages and get back to you."

DeMille ended the press conference by saying the city and region still has a reasonable window of opportunity to control the spread of the virus, but must be responsive and put proper measures in place to protect against any spread COVID-19.

"I definitely think our geographical isolation is to our advantage and I think we should take advantage of it," she said. "We are a gateway to the rest of northwestern Ontario and we have to consider what that means for us to make sure that we ... because what we do here can also protect others in northwestern Ontario."

DeMille said she has a concern when it comes to the potential impact on First Nation communities in the region, if COVID-19 were to spread to more remote areas.

"I think they too have the advantage of potentially putting in some measures perhaps related to travel, and the travel that goes back and forth that will help them protect their communities," she added.