Public Health Sudbury & Districts has tested 55 people for COVID-19 as of noon on March 12, and there is still only the single postive case of the infection in Greater Sudbury.
Everyone who was tested was asked to self-isolate until the results were received.
The health unit is still recommending that anyone who attended the Prospectors and Developers Association of Canada (PDAC) conference last week in Toronto, where the local positive case likely picked up the virus, monitor themselves for symptoms: cough, fever and difficulty breathing.
If you attended PDAC and have those symptoms, you should arrange to be tested by visiting Health Sciences North where you will be triaged and tested if necessary.
There is still no word on when additional testing locations will be set up. The Ontario government has set up additional sites in various southern Ontario cities, but no announcement regarding additional sites for the North has been made.
The seven people who were tested last week following PDAC are among the 55 tests that have been performed. It can inferred none of these tests were positive as no Public Health has only announced the single positive case. https://www.sudbury.com/local-news/seven-people-have-submitted-covid-19-tests-in-the-district-health-unit-says-2153102
If you are heading to the Health Sciences North emergency department with suspected symptoms of COVID-19, you are asked to come alone and not bring a visitor with you.
As well, if you are coming to the emergency department for other issues not related to COVID-19, you are asked only to bring a visitor with you if absolutely necessary. This is to minimize any potential exposure.
"Visitor restrictions have not been put in place in other parts of the hospital, however to ensure we keep our patients and staff safe visitors who are not feeling well should not come to the hospital," HSN stated.
Health Sciences North is currently above 100-per-cent capacity. If you have a non-urgent medical issue, you are asked to seek care at walk-in clinics instead to minimize pressure on the emergency department.
The Sudbury hospital is now one of a handful of what are called sentinel hospitals, meaning all admitted patients being screened for influenza are also being tested for COVID-19.
