STEPHEN RICCIO
PONTIAC March 1, 2021
As of March 1, the Pontiac service area (RLS) had five or less active cases while its cumulative total since the pandemic began stood at 75.
The Municipality of Shawville saw its total count rise to eight on Feb. 26. Meanwhile the Municipality of Mansfield et Pontefract continues to stand at 7 while the Municipalities of Campbell’s Bay, Fort Coulonge, Île du Grand Calumet, L’Isle aux Allumettes, Otter Lake and Waltham have each had five or less. The Municipality of Pontiac has had 42 cases.
During a Feb. 24 CISSSO press conference, medical officer Dr. Carol McConnery said . . .
that she was hopeful that the Outaouais would remain an orange zone despite a recent outbreak at CHSLD Lionel Émond that caused a spike in active cases.
“I think our numbers are stabilizing and that we’re doing OK for the orange zone … we’ll see what happens in the next couple of weeks,” she said, adding that the situation could change on a day to day basis.
Pontiac MNA André Fortin said that while the situation in the Outaouais remains delicate, he’s optimistic that restrictions won’t tighten up.
“Everybody wants to get back to normal and at the same time, we still do have to take precautions,” he said. “We’ll have to see what the impact of break week, the school break week is this week. But obviously the need to follow the government guidelines and restrictions is still important.”
He added that the impending beginning of the public vaccination process means the region is inching closer to removing further restrictions.
“Until most of the vulnerable population does get vaccinated, we do have a responsibility to them and to everybody else to keep with the general precautions we’ve been following …
But hopefully, the community transmission does remain low in the coming weeks, until everybody or until the most vulnerable do get a vaccine.”
The Outaouais had 212 active cases as of March 1, which is up 69 from last week. There were three hospitalizations at the designated COVID-19 center, a decrease of two from last week. The cumulative death toll stood at 160, with two deaths being recorded in the past week.
The region is dealing with active outbreaks at two health care facilities: CHSLD Lionel Émond and RPA Chartwell Monastère d’Aylmer.
McDowell
The CISSSO informed Dr. S.E. McDowell Elementary School of a student with a confirmed COVID case on Feb. 25, according to the school’s acting principal Mark Keeping.
The Western Quebec School Board sent out a letter to staff and parents on the same day, clarifying that the confidentiality of school community members was important and that no details would be made available about the individual who tested positive.
Staff and students who were in close contact with the student have been contacted by public health and asked to remain home until March 10.
Correction note:
Last week’s COVID update contained the wrong date regarding the status of cases in the Outaouais. The date referenced was Feb. 15, but the numbers within the update were as of Feb. 22.
