STEPHEN RICCIO
PONTIAC Feb. 22, 2021
The Outaouais shifted back into being an orange zone for the first time since mid-December on Feb. 22, following a Feb. 16 announcement from Premier François Legault that the region would be the only red zone throughout Quebec to change colour.
Legault explained during a press conference that . . .
the decrease in cases and hospitalizations in tandem with the improvement in the Ottawa region led to the decision.
As a result, the curfew will now begin at 9:30 p.m., as opposed to 8 p.m., and will end at 5 a.m.
Restaurants are now permitted to open for indoor dining, although seating is limited to two adults per table as well as children, as long those who dine show proof that they live locally. Gyms are also now open to individuals or people who live together, and both church and funeral services are now open to a maximum of 25 people. The province continues to not allow private social gatherings with those not in the same bubble.
Legault also announced that beginning on Feb. 26, indoor rinks, pools and cinemas across the entire province will open up to people who live together, or two people who live separately.
The Pontiac service area (RLS) continues to have five or less active cases (minimum one) while the total case count has gone up by five since Feb. 15, standing at 71 as of Feb. 22.
The municipalities of Campbell’s Bay, Fort Coulonge, L’Île du Grand Calumet, L’Isle aux Allumettes, Otter Lake and Waltham continue to stand at five or less. The Municipality of Mansfield et Pontefract had seven total cases and the Municipality of Shawville had six cases, up one from last week. The Municipality of Pontiac total stood at 42.
The Outaouais had 143 active cases (6,169 total, 5,868 recovered) as of Feb. 15, which is up 20 from last week. There were five hospitalizations at the designated COVID-19 center, up one from last week. The cumulative death toll stood at 158, with one death being recorded in the past week.
The region is dealing with active outbreaks at three health care facilities: CHSLD Lionel Émond, Résidence Shayla and RPA Chartwell Monastère d’Aylmer.
The CHSLD Lionel Émond recently experienced an outbreak of 23 cases among residents and less than five among employees. According to CISSSO media relations officer Marie-Pier Després, most of the facility’s residents received the first dose of vaccines in December 2020. According to provincial data, the vaccine is 80 per cent effective within 21 to 27 days of receiving the first dose.
As of Feb. 22, the CISSSO had administered 12,579 first doses of the vaccine to citizens, up from 9,798 last Monday.
IN SHAWVILLE
Joanne’s Valu-mart in Shawville had one of its employees test positive for COVID-19 recently, with the news emerging on Feb. 16 on Loblaws official website.
Valu-mart owner Joanne Dumouchel declined to comment on the situation to THE EQUITY.
According to Loblaws’s website post from Feb. 16, “[The] team member tested positive on a presumptive test for COVID-19. The last day the team member worked was on February 13.”
