Health Unit staff, wearing full personal protective equipment, went door-to-door Saturday warning residents of the Lancelot Apartments, 295 Lakeshore Drive, about the COVID-19 outbreak in their building.
Sunday, the North Bay Regional Health Centre’s Assessment Centre tested roughly 110 people at the apartment building.
"As of today, February 8, 2021, 13 individuals have received positive test results for COVID-19, with some results still pending," says a Health Unit news release. "One of these individuals has been hospitalized."
As of 3 p.m. today, (Monday) 17 residents have tested positive for COVID-19.
As a result, the Health Unit has declared a COVID-19 "Community Outbreak" at the Skyline – Lancelot Apartments location. Skyline owns three properties in North Bay, including Gloria Gardens and Bay Court off Trout Lake Road.
On Saturday the North Bay Parry Sound District Health Unit announced an outbreak of COVID-19, but didn't name the location.
See: 'Cluster group of COVID' identified in district
"Due to the small number of individuals testing positive for COVID-19 in the Health Unit’s district, this has raised concern," says the release. "This is especially worrying as two of the people who tested positive had a preliminary confirmation of a COVID-19 Variant of Concern.
"It is unknown at this time whether these additional individuals have a COVID-19 Variant of Concern. Currently, only two residents within the building who have tested positive for COVID-19 have a preliminary positive result for the COVID-19 Variant of Concern. All specimens of those who tested positive for COVID-19 have been sent for additional testing, which takes days to receive results."
Public Health staff are currently conducting case and contact management for all who have tested positive. Residents of the apartment building have been made aware of the outbreak.
The Health Unit says it released the location of the outbreak due to the increased number of COVID-19 cases and to alert residents, staff, and any visitors to the apartment building.
See: Health Unit confirms 12 new COVID-19 cases over the weekend
If you think you may have COVID-19 symptoms or have been in close contact with someone who has tested positive, first self-isolate and then use Ontario's Self-Assessment Tool to see if you need to seek testing or further care.
