The Northwestern Health Unit (NWHU) has confirmed 19 new COVID-19 cases have been found in the region Wednesday.
Six cases were found in the Kenora Health Hub, three each in the Red Lake and Sioux Lookout Health Hubs, two in both the Fort Frances and Rainy River Health Hubs, and one each in the Dryden, Emo, and Atikokan Health Hubs.
Currently, there are 346 active cases connected to the NWHU catchment area. There are eight people hospitalized from COVID-19 in the region, up one from Tuesday's update.
Of the 346 known cases, 141 are in the Kenora Health Hub, 143 are in the Sioux Lookout Health Hub, 25 are in the Fort Frances Health Hub, 16 cases in the Dryden Health Hub, seven are in the Red Lak Health Hub, four are in each the Atikokan, and Emo Health Hubs, and six cases are in the Rainy River Health Hub.
NWHU recommends that everyone, including those who have been vaccinated, assume COVID-19 is in their community and practise preventive measures like physical distancing, wearing a mask in enclosed public spaces and when physical distancing is a challenge, good hand hygiene, and not touching their face. Anyone who has symptoms, or who has been in contact with a positive case, should visit www.ontario.ca/exposed for more information on what to do next.
The NWHU does want to note that the confirmed cases are an underestimate of the true number of people with COVID-19 in the Northwestern Health Unit region, given that access to PCR testing is increasingly limited, positive rapid antigen test results are not reported to Public Health, and the likelihood that people with asymptomatic infections may not seek testing.