Three men who were residents of Newmarket's Mackenzie Place Long-term Care Centre have died of COVID-19.
A 99-year-old man, who was asymptomatic but tested positive Saturday, April 11, passed away Saturday, April 18 at the facility where a COVID-19 outbreak was declared last week.
A 61-year-old man also died Saturday, April 18, several days after testing positive.
A 79-year-old man died Monday, April 13, three days after a positive test result,
Newmarket also saw its single largest daily increase in confirmed COVID-19 cases today, with 18 new cases bringing its total to 105, with deaths now totalling five.
An 84-year-old man at Eagle Terrace Long-Term Care Home, where a COVID-19 outbreak is also underway, was Newmarket's first death.
A 90-year-old man who died Monday, April 13 at Southlake Regional Health Centre, six days after testing positive, was Newmarket's second COVID-19 related fatality.
COVID-19 cases acquired as a result of an institutional outbreak have become the major cause of transmission in Newmarket. More than half the cases — which jumped from 40 yesterday to 54 today — have acquired COVID-19 in a long-term care home or community care setting.
At least 243, or 22 per cent, of York Region's COVID-19 cases have been acquired in a long-term care, retirement or community group home.
With 49 additional cases since yesterday, York Region's total number of confirmed cases is 1,083, and four additional COVID-19 fatalities bring the death toll to 51.
An 84-year-old woman, who is the second resident of the Bethany Lodge long-term care in Markham to pass away, died Friday, April 17 at Markham-Stouffville Hospital. Her COVID-19 case was confirmed after her death, on April 18, 16 days after the onset of symptoms.
Yesterday, another death of a resident of a long-term care facility was confirmed; an 88-year-old man passed away Friday, April 17 at Etobicoke General Hospital, one week after COVID-19 was confirmed. He was a resident of Villa Columbo in Vaughan when symptoms first appeared April 8.
Cases among frontline health-care workers in York Region skyrocketed today with 17 new cases today bringing the total to 69, eight of which are in Newmarket.
The sharp increase in cases among health-care workers is a result of increased testing, according to York Region spokesperson Patrick Casey.
"Specifically, Mackenzie Place in Newmarket has increased its testing recently, with a number of results coming in yesterday and today; this accounts for the spike in cases reported," Casey said.
Forty-eight residents at Mackenzie Place have tested positive for COVID-19 — the highest in the region currently — and 16 health-care workers, who are not all residents of York Region, also have confirmed cases of COVID-19.
York Region public health is working with Mackenzie Place to help manage the COVID-19 outbreak, he added.
"We continue to help ensure appropriate personal protective equipment (PPE) is available and staff use it appropriately and effectively," Casey said.
Of the 69 infected health-care workers: eight are in Newmarket; two in Aurora, three in Whitchurch-Stouffville; six in Richmond Hill, 19 in Vaughan; and 31 in Markham.
Individuals aged 80 and over with confirmed cases of COVID-19 are now the largest age group in Newmarket, accounting for 27 per cent of the town's 105 cases — now surpassing the 55 to 64 age group, which is at 19 per cent, and 65 to 79, also at 19 per cent.
The public health unit continues to report a growing swath of outbreaks across the region — at 15 long-term care homes and 16 community care settings in Newmarket, Aurora, East Gwillimbury, Keswick, Pefferlaw, Richmond Hill, Thornhill, Markham and Vaughan.
Among the 15 long-term care facilities and retirement homes under COVID-19 protocols are Southlake Residential Care Village, Eagle Terrace Long-Term Care Home and Mackenzie Place Long-Term Care in Newmarket, and Chartwell Aurora Long-Term Care Residence.
The number of COVID-19 outbreaks at community care facilities is 16, including at two CBI locations in Newmarket.
Of the 1,083 cases in York Region:
- 479 are confirmed in Vaughan (+ 15 today), 14 deaths;
- 267 in Markham (+ 5 today), 26 deaths;
- 109 in Richmond Hill (+ 3 today), 3 deaths;
- 105 in Newmarket (+ 18 today), 5 deaths;
- 47 in Aurora, 1 death;
- 19 in King ( +1 today), 2 deaths;
- 18 in East Gwillimbury (+ 3 today);
- 17 in Whitchurch-Stouffville;
- 14 in Georgina.
The number of hospitalized patients in York Region drops from 45 to 44 today, with 21 cases critically ill in ICU.
Resolved cases in the region now tally 139, which is 13 per cent of the total 1,083 cases.
As of 4 p.m. April 19, Southlake Regional Health Centre is reporting six COVID-19 patients in ICU, and six COVID-19 patients in inpatient units. Total deaths remain at five.
A list of the number of COVID-19 cases confirmed for residents and health-care workers at all long-term care and community care settings under outbreak protocol in York Region has been added to york.ca/covid19 today.
