June is turning out to be the worst month for active COVID cases since the pandemic began, as the North Bay Parry Sound District Health Unit urges people that public health measures and getting vaccinated are still the best ways to protect themselves and their loved ones from getting the virus.
"As the province has entered Step 2 of the Roadmap to Reopen, the with current active cases at 76 as of June 29, the highest for any month in our district since the start of the pandemic, individuals are reminded to use caution when enjoying the permissible activities," says a Health Unit news release.
It declared a respiratory outbreak caused by COVID at the Faith Chapel Christian Centre in North Bay yesterday where five people tested positive.
See: COVID outbreak declared at Faith Chapel
And the past weekend was a bad one for COVID cases as another 16 new COVID cases were reported over Saturday and Sunday. That brought the number of active cases to 85, a record number.
See: Sixteen new COVID cases reported over the weekend
“With our move to Step 2 of reopening, we will start seeing more gatherings and more people enjoying time with people they love,” says Dr. Jim Chirico, Medical Officer of Health. “However, COVID-19 and its variants are still very present in our district, and we are still seeing community transmission, meaning people do not know where they caught the virus. I continue to encourage people to use their good judgment in all their activities, and to follow public health measures and get fully vaccinated to ensure we make the most recent shutdown our last.”
Now that the province has opened up second dose vaccination for all adults 18 years and older, the Health Unit has made more bookings available to meet the demand. Individuals who wish to book their first or second dose of the COVID-19 vaccine can book online at Ontario.ca/book-vaccine/ or by calling the provincial booking line at 1-833-943-3900.
Youth aged 12 to 17 should also seek their first dose of the vaccine as soon as possible in order to receive their second dose in mid-August, ensuring they are fully immunized before their return to school in September.
