CORNWALL – Three years since COVID-19 was declared a global pandemic, the local health unit is ceasing its weekly updates.
Eastern Ontario Health Unit Medical Officer of Health Dr. Paul Roumeliotis said in his final online video update February 1 that the updates would not longer be posted.
“This will be my last weekly update on COVID and other respiratory illnesses. Moving forward we will be providing information on our website,” he said.
At the onset of the pandemic, the EOHU provided frequent updates to media, and the public.
Starting twice a week, these increased to daily as public health measures and government restrictions were put in place.
Since mid-2022, the EOHU had decreased to once per week for its video updates, released on YouTube.
The EOHU updates its data on COVID-19 and other respiratory illnesses in the health unit region on Tuesday and Fridays, excluding statutory holidays.
Roumeliotis said that if needed, the EOHU will restart the video updates.
“And again, I’d like to thank everyone for their cooperation and in sharing the information that we provide to you,” Roumeliotis told viewers.
Local update
In the EOHU region, 10 people are hospitalized with COVID-19 infection as the primary reason for admission. Three people are in intensive care.
The health unit is reporting an 11.1 per cent positivity, with eight health or long-term care facilities having a COVID-19 outbreak.
Since 2020, 286 people died from COVID-19 in the five-county health unit region.