While the number of resolved cases steadily nears half of York Region's 1,656 cases, seven more seniors have died — including another Newmarket resident — as the COVID-19 death count reaches 120 today, May 4.
An 83-year-old woman is the 11th resident of Mackenzie Place Long-term Care Home in Newmarket to pass away in the outbreak that is among the most severe in the region. She died Sunday, May 3, after testing positive April 16.
The first Georgina resident to pass away is a 90-year-old woman who resided at River Glen Haven Nursing home. She died Saturday, May 2, after the onset of symptoms April 26. The COVID-19 case was confirmed today, May 4.
A total of 14 deaths at Villa Colombo Vaughan Di Poce Centre are now being reported, with a 97-year-old woman passing away April 18 and an 80-year-old man passing away May 2, both at Etobicoke General Hospital. An 85-year-old woman passed away May 2 at Villa Colombo.
A 91-year-old Vaughan woman, who passed away Sunday, May 3, is the fifth resident of Kristus Darzs Latvian Home to die.
Also, a 67-year-old Vaughan man passed away May 3 at Mackenzie Health one month after first experiencing symptoms of the close contact acquired case.
Of the region's 120 COVID-19 deaths, 87 have resulted from an outbreak at a long-term care, retirement or group home facility.
More COVID-19 resident cases have been confirmed at Newmarket's Mackenzie Place, now reaching 77 — the highest number of infected residents among the region's 39 institutional outbreaks. Health-care worker cases remain at 21.
Southlake Regional Health Centre is the first hospital in York Region to declare a COVID-19 outbreak, with an additional patient, now totalling three, and one health-care worker testing positive.
In Newmarket, institutional outbreak cases make up 133 of its 163 cases, and is the cause of 12 deaths.
Increasing to 584 cases, outbreaks at 39 facilities remain the major cause — at 35 per cent — of COVID-19 in York Region.
York Region public health is continuing to meet the provincial mandate to test all residents of long-term care, retirement and group homes, according to medical officer of health Dr. Karim Kurji.
By the end of this week, residents and staff at homes not experiencing outbreaks and shelters, will be tested, Kurji said, and screening of staff at the region's emergency child care centres will begin.
"As we struggle with the backlog of testing at the provincial level, we have been devising ways of trying to get the best read on our statistics, and we feel the downward trajectory in the cases is still carrying on, so that is good news," Kurji said in a video update today.
"However, as the province reduces the restrictions on businesses, I think it's important for us all to maintain vigilance," he added.
The number of hospitalized patients in York Region increased recently to 75, with 16 cases critically ill in ICU. In Newmarket, eight residents are hospitalized, with two in ICU.
Resolved cases in the region are 778, or 47 per cent. In Newmarket, only 25 per cent of cases are resolved.
Health-care workers with COVID-19 increased from 86 to 89 today: nine are in Newmarket; four in Aurora, one in East Gwillimbury, one in Georgina, five in Whitchurch-Stouffville; nine in Richmond Hill, 26 in Vaughan; and 35 in Markham.
Of 1,656 cases (+19 today) in York Region:
- 690 are confirmed in Vaughan, 47 deaths, 396 resolved;
- 385 in Markham (+ 4 today), 40 deaths, 155 resolved;
- 168 in Richmond Hill, 5 deaths, 104 resolved;
- 163 in Newmarket (+ 3 today), 14 deaths, 41 resolved;
- 79 in Aurora (+ 2 today), 10 deaths, 30 resolved;
- 66 in Georgina (+ 2 today), 1 death, 6 resolved;
- 39 in East Gwillimbury (+ 3 today); 1 death; 9 resolved;
- 34 in Whitchurch-Stouffville, 17 resolved;
- 22 in King, 2 deaths, 18 resolved.
As of 4 p.m. May 4, Southlake Regional Health Centre has four COVID-19 patients, two on ventilators, in ICU. Nineteen COVID-19 patients are in an inpatient unit. The number of inpatients under investigation for COVID-19 has increased significantly to 59, with 18 at the Reactivation Care Centre Finch site. Total deaths remain at 10.
