Third Newmarket resident dies of community-acquired COVID-19

The number of COVID-19 related fatalities has reached 22 in Newmarket, with two more deaths reported today, including a man who was exposed to the virus in the community, and the 15th resident to die in the outbreak at Mackenzie Place Long-term Care Centre.

The 91-year-old man with a local transmission case of COVID-19 passed away Monday, May 18 at Southlake Regional Health Centre, after testing positive May 16, 10 days after symptom onset.

He is the third Newmarket resident to die with a locally acquired case of COVID-19. 

Of Newmarket's 22 fatalities, 18 cases — which is 82 per cent — were acquired in an institutional outbreak, and one in a workplace outbreak.

A 70-year-old Newmarket man, who was asymptomatic, passed away Tuesday, May 19 at Mackenzie Place after testing positive April 16. 

Mackenzie Place continues to battle one of the most virulent outbreaks in York Region, with 80 of 90 residents and 24 of 108 health-care workers testing positive for COVID-19 since the outbreak was declared April 8.

The deaths of two more York Region residents are also being reported today, including the first Whitchurch-Stouffville resident to die of COVID-19.

The 91-year-old woman passed away Saturday, May 16 at Lakeridge Health Oshawa, a week after the onset of symptoms. 

A 95-year-old Georgina woman passed away Thursday, May 14 at River Glen Haven Nursing Home, the 15th resident to die in the outbreak at the Sutton home. She was asymptomatic, but tested positive April 27.

The deaths of asymptomatic individuals who swabbed positive are reported as COVID-19 deaths, according to York Region spokesperson Patrick Casey.

"COVID-19 may not be the sole reason these individuals died and there may be underlying factors that contributed to the death. However, since they were tested and were positive for COVID-19, they are categorized as a COVID-19 related death," Casey said.

Public health units across the province follow this practice, he added.

The COVID-19 death toll in York Region has reached 168, with 129 fatalities — 77 per cent — related to outbreaks in 56 facilities. Sixteen residents have died as a result of a close contact, 13 due to community transmission, and six residents with travel-acquired cases.

The number of confirmed outbreak cases, including residents, patients and health-care workers, is nearing 1,000, or 37 per cent, as York Region reports an additional 35 cases today, totalling 2,115. 

Three additional cases linked to workplace exposures are being reported, now totalling 53 and accounting for three per cent of the region’s cases.

Medical officer of health Dr. Karim Kurji has expressed concern about the rapid increase in workplace exposures in recent weeks.

York Region public health issued public notices today regarding outbreaks at two Vaughan locations, Aluminum Window Designs (AWD) and UPS.

Twenty-six employees — none of whom live in York Region — have been exposed to the virus at AWD at 440 Hanland Rd. and 99 Vinyl Court, according to Casey.

Of 21 confirmed cases at UPS at 2900 Steeles Ave. West, two are York Region residents. 

Public health is following up with close contacts of the cases, and there is no risk to the public in any of the current workplace outbreaks, Casey said. 

The largest workplace outbreak is at Saputo Dairy Products Canada in Vaughan, which is linked to the region’s first workplace-acquired COVID-19 death, a 57-year-old Newmarket man.

Twenty-four employees — six of whom are York Region residents — have COVID-19 in the outbreak declared April 29 at the Saputo facility at 101 Royal Group Cres. 

York Region public health provides information to the public about workplace outbreaks where there may be a risk to the public under york.ca/covid19 and the public notices tab.

There are 274 (17 more) York Region health-care worker cases, with 166 resolved.

An additional York Region health-care worker death, now totalling two, is being reported due to additional information provided to public health that resulted in a recategorization.

The COVID-19 related fatality was initially reported April 10, when a 59-year-old Richmond Hill woman died of a close contact case.

"Changes happen after public health learns more about specific case information as part of our case management and investigation process," Casey said.

A Markham personal support worker who died April 15 was initially reported as the first York Region frontline health-care worker to die of COVID-19. Christine Mandegarian worked at Sienna Altamont Care Community in Scarborough

The number of hospitalized patients in York Region is 77, with 20 cases critically ill in ICU. In Newmarket, five residents are hospitalized, with none in ICU.