The impact of outbreaks at long-term care, retirement and group homes continues to overshadow the positive strides in York Region's battle against COVID-19.
Two more deaths of long-term care residents, and additional outbreaks and confirmed cases of residents and health-care workers are being reported by York Region public health today, May 7.
An 86-year-old Aurora woman passed away Wednesday, April 29 at Chartwell Aurora Long-term Care Residence, after testing positive both April 3 and 24. She is the ninth resident to die of COVID-19 at the facility.
An 84-year-old Markham man passed away Wednesday, May 6 at Markhaven Home for Seniors after testing positive March 30.
York Region's outbreak death count is the highest at two long-term care homes, Markhaven in Markham and Villa Colombo Vaughan Di Poce Centre, where each has lost 17 residents to COVID-19.
Of 1,767 confirmed cases, 620 have been acquired as a result of an outbreak at one of 48 facilities — the major cause, at 35 per cent, of COVID-19 in York Region — and 93 deaths have occurred.
While outbreaks at eight facilities have now been resolved, new ones have been declared, including at Casa Dolce Casa, a Woodbridge retirement home, and at Woodbridge Vista Care Community, a long-term care home.
In total, 816 residents, patients and health care workers have been infected.
In Newmarket, institutional outbreaks have caused 133 of its 173 cases — 66 per cent — and 12 of its 14 COVID-19 related deaths.
At Newmarket's Mackenzie Place, 78 residents — the highest number of infected residents among the region's 40 active outbreaks — and 22 health-care workers have tested positive. Eleven residents have died there as a result of COVID-19.
An additional health-care worker has COVID-19 at Southlake Regional Health Centre, which is the only hospital in York Region with an outbreak, now totalling four patients and two health-care workers.
Seven York Region residents have died as a result of outbreaks in facilities located outside of the region, including a health-care worker who was employed in a Scarborough long-term care home.
Resolved cases in the region are at 843, or 48 per cent.
The number of hospitalized patients in York Region increased from 69 to 74, with 13 cases critically ill in ICU. In Newmarket, eight residents are hospitalized, with one in ICU.
Ninety health-care workers have tested positive for COVID-19, of which 62 cases, or 69 per cent, have been resolved.
Of 1,767 cases (+35 today) in York Region:
- 735 are confirmed in Vaughan (+ 14 today), 50 deaths, 415 resolved;
- 399 in Markham (+7 today), 42 deaths, 178 resolved;
- 181 in Richmond Hill (+ 9), 5 deaths, 117 resolved;
- 173 in Newmarket (+ 2 today), 14 deaths, 43 resolved;
- 89 in Aurora, 11 deaths, 32 resolved;
- 77 in Georgina (+ 3 today), 1 death, 7 resolved;
- 40 in East Gwillimbury; 1 death; 9 resolved;
- 38 in Whitchurch-Stouffville (+1 today), 23 resolved;
- 22 in King, 2 deaths, 18 resolved.
As of 3 p.m. May 6, Southlake Regional Health Centre has four COVID-19 patients, all on ventilators, in ICU. Seventeen COVID-19 patients are in inpatient units. The number of inpatients under investigation for COVID-19 has increased significantly to 72. Total deaths remain at 10.
