MEDIA RELEASE: Leeds, Grenville and Lanark District Health Unit

Thursday, 26 March 2020

March 26, 2020

First Person with confirmed COVID-19 reported in Leeds, Grenville & Lanark

Today, Dr. Paula Stewart, Medical Officer of Health for the Leeds, Grenville and Lanark District Health Unit, confirmed that an individual living in the Leeds, Grenville and Lanark area has tested positive for COVID-19. The person is in isolation at home and had recently returned from the United States.

A woman in her 70s was assessed and tested using all appropriate precautions and is isolated at home with follow-up from the public health nurse. The Health Unit is actively investigating people who were in contact with the individual and will require all close contacts to self-isolate for 14 days. 

“Having an individual diagnosed with COVID-19 in our area is not surprising" reported Dr. Stewart. “This reinforces the importance of the public health measures in place such as school and non-essential service closures, as well as personal precautions like staying at home for 14 days after travel outside the country, physical distancing, covering coughs and sneezes, staying home when sick, and regular hand hygiene.” 

The best way to get reliable information about COIVD-19 is by visiting www.healthunit.org. Please call the Health Unit if you have any questions at 1-800-660-5853 x 2499. You can also get important public health updates by connecting with LGLHealthunit on Facebook and Twitter.

If you think you may have COVID-19 symptoms or have been in close contact with someone who has it, first self-isolate and then use Ontario's Self-Assessment Tool to see if you need to seek further care.

If you need further assistance, call TeleHealth Ontario at 1-866-797-0000 or your health care provider.

Visit Ontario’s website, www.Ontario.ca/coronavirus to learn more about how the province continues to protect Ontarians from COVID-19.

For media interviews, contact:

Susan Healey, Communications Co-ordinator, 613-802-0550

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