DARIUS SHAHHEYDARI
OUTAOUAIS July 9, 2020
CISSSO’s executives were unable to provide an exact date for the reopening of Pontiac Community Hospital’s obstetrics unit, saying in a Zoom press conference on July 8 that the current pandemic has . . .
slowed its bureaucratic process down and that it was still too early to establish a date.
The meeting also touched on other issues related to COVID-19 in the Outaouais.
The executives discussed an outbreak of COVID-19 at Pierre Janet Hospital in Gatineau last Monday night, which prompted mass testing that showed one employee and three patients had been infected. Fifty individuals were tested, of which the majority were deemed negative, though CISSSO representatives did not disclose the exact number.
However, long-term care facilities in the region, which have proven to be hotspots for deaths due to COVID-19, have improved their situation, according to CISSSO, although there are still a few residents affected.
It was also mentioned that testing is now open to asymptomatic individuals. Those who are interested can call 1-877-644-4545 to locate the nearest test centre.
CISSSO is figuring out a new plan to have more people seek testing. The testing in Outaouais is around 130 a day, lower than that across the river, where the average day sees over 680 tests. This means that 33 out of 100,000 people were tested in the Outaouais, compared to 54 per 100,000 in the greater Ottawa area.
Anyone in the Outaouais who has recently been in bars or at other gatherings is asked by CISSSO to book a testing.
CISSSO representatives said the provincial government would be making the decision about mandatory mask-wearing in public spaces.
As of Wednesday, there were 84 active cases of the virus. Since the pandemic began, the region had 609 COVID-19 cases, of which 492 recovered, or over 80 per cent of the infected and there were 33 deaths.
There were 153 cases per 100,000 people in the Outaouais, significantly lower than the 656 per 100,000 in all of Quebec.
In regards to health care workers, 110 employees were infected by COVID-19, of which 103, or over 90 per cent recovered.
