The region’s top doctor says our COVID-19 numbers aren’t declining enough for the region to ease up on restrictions just yet.
“Overall, case numbers and rates are gradually worsening over the past month,” said Medical Officer of Health Dr. Kit Young Hoon during a media update. “This is disappointing for the entire region as we are collectively under an Emergency Brake and Stay At Home Order, which is a very high level of public health restrictions.”
In order for our region to return to looser restrictions or be placed on a lower level on the Province’s COVID-19 Framework, Dr. Young Hoon explains what needs to happen.
“If we think about the provincial framework, it puts in very strong public health measures at the Grey level and the Red level, that’s usually at about 40 cases per hundred thousand population per week. Currently we’re about 60 cases per hundred thousand population a week, roughly.”
Dr. Young Hoon stresses everyone must follow current public health restrictions and measures to get our cases down.
“It’s concerning because if we don’t see that decline, at this point I’m not sure if the province will be willing to lift public health restrictions or to shift children back to in person learning. That is problematic because this increase in cases is being driven by individuals not following the rules.”
As of Tuesday May 4 there were 66 active cases of COVID-19 in the region, with six new cases reported.
That was the lowest number of new cases reported by the NWHU since the four reported on April 26th.
14 new cases of COVID-19 are being reported by the Northwestern Health Unit Wednesday morning and 75 active.
The region’s percent positivity rate has dropped to 1.05%, compared to 3.10% last week.
