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COVID-19 kills second Sudbury resident (update) – The Sudbury Star

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A resident of St. Joseph’s Villa has died of COVID-19.

John Lappa/Sudbury Star

A second Greater Sudburian has died from the coronavirus.

On Friday, a woman in her 80s who was a resident at St. Joseph’s Villa and had tested positive for the virus on April 21, died. An outbreak had been declared at the long-term care facility on April 19 after a staff member tested positive.

Dr. Penny Sutcliffe, Medical Officer of Health with Public Health Sudbury & Districts, said that out of respect during this difficult time, no further details will be provided.

“We extend our sincere condolences to the family members and friends affected by this loss,” she said. “We understand this news is difficult for all to hear, especially for those who have loved ones living in long-term care and retirement homes,” said Dr. Sutcliffe.

“We have to continue to do all that we can to prevent the spread of disease to protect older members in our community. I encourage people to reach out, check-in, and be there for one another, while maintaining physical distance.”

“On behalf of all of our staff, I want to extend our sincere condolences to the family,” said Jo-Anne Palkovits, president and chief executive officer at St, Joseph’s Health Centre, which operates the 128-bed St. Joseph’s Villa in Sudbury and also the 128-bed Villa St. Gabriel in Chelmsford, which is also a long-term care facility.

“I also want to acknowledge the efforts of our staff who themselves are devastated by this news. We continue to follow all necessary policies and procedures to provide safe care to our residents. Our community needs to continue to be kind and supportive to one another during these difficult times, while also ensuring we follow the advice of public health officials.”

Palkovits added the safety of residents and staff remains the No. 1 priority for St. Joseph’s Health Centre.

Strict physical distancing guidelines have been in effect at St. Joseph’s Villa since mid-March and residents continue to be isolated from one another in their own private rooms to prevent infection. They are also assessed for COVID-related symptoms three times a day.

Staff continues to wear the proper masks for the duration of their shift, and also wear eye protection, gloves, and gowns for direct care with all residents. Staff is also screened for symptoms at the beginning and end of each shift.

With these measures, along with visitor restrictions in effect since mid-March, risk of infection throughout the facility remains low.

Earlier this week, coronavirus outbreaks were also declared at Extendicare-York and Pioneer Manor after full testing of staff and residents turned up positive cases.

At Pioneer Manor, four staff and three residents all tested positive and were all asymptomatic (no symptoms). The three residents are in isolation in private rooms while the four staff members are at home self-isolating. Six of the positive tests were confirmed on Tuesday following a positive test with a male resident in his 70s on Sunday.

Over at Extendicare-York, a staff member tested positive for the virus on Tuesday and is now at home self-isolating.

On April 2, a Greater Sudbury man in his 70s died from COVID-19 after contracting the virus while travelling internationally.

As of Friday, the number of COVID-19 positive cases in the Greater Sudbury area stood at 58 (54 Greater Sudbury, two Sudbury District, and two Manitoulin Island) with 46 cases being resolved (44 recovered and two deaths).

As of 5 p.m. Thursday, a total of 3,827 coronavirus tests had been conducted locally, with 3,135 being negative and 634 pending.

Mayor Brian Bigger said in a statement Friday that, “I was very saddened to hear of our community’s second fatality from COVID-19, a resident of St. Joseph’s Villa. On behalf of council, I extend my condolences to her family and friends at this time. Our thoughts and prayers are with them.

“I again implore every resident of Greater Sudbury to take this virus seriously. Physical distancing is a must to protect us, and our loved ones, especially the older members of our community. We must be smart, stay at home and work together to get through this trying time. We are a strong community, let’s move forward together in the safest way possible.”

hcarmichael@postmedia.com

Twitter: @HaroldCarmichae

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Canada to donate up to 200,000 vaccine doses to combat mpox outbreaks in Africa

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The Canadian government says it will donate up to 200,000 vaccine doses to fight the mpox outbreak in Congo and other African countries.

It says the donated doses of Imvamune will come from Canada’s existing supply and will not affect the country’s preparedness for mpox cases in this country.

Minister of Health Mark Holland says the donation “will help to protect those in the most affected regions of Africa and will help prevent further spread of the virus.”

Dr. Madhukar Pai, Canada research chair in epidemiology and global health, says although the donation is welcome, it is a very small portion of the estimated 10 million vaccine doses needed to control the outbreak.

Vaccine donations from wealthier countries have only recently started arriving in Africa, almost a month after the World Health Organization declared the mpox outbreak a public health emergency of international concern.

A few days after the declaration in August, Global Affairs Canada announced a contribution of $1 million for mpox surveillance, diagnostic tools, research and community awareness in Africa.

On Thursday, the Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention said mpox is still on the rise and that testing rates are “insufficient” across the continent.

Jason Kindrachuk, Canada research chair in emerging viruses at the University of Manitoba, said donating vaccines, in addition to supporting surveillance and diagnostic tests, is “massively important.”

But Kindrachuk, who has worked on the ground in Congo during the epidemic, also said that the international response to the mpox outbreak is “better late than never (but) better never late.”

“It would have been fantastic for us globally to not be in this position by having provided doses a much, much longer time prior than when we are,” he said, noting that the outbreak of clade I mpox in Congo started in early 2023.

Clade II mpox, endemic in regions of West Africa, came to the world’s attention even earlier — in 2022 — as that strain of virus spread to other countries, including Canada.

Two doses are recommended for mpox vaccination, so the donation may only benefit 100,000 people, Pai said.

Pai questioned whether Canada is contributing enough, as the federal government hasn’t said what percentage of its mpox vaccine stockpile it is donating.

“Small donations are simply not going to help end this crisis. We need to show greater solidarity and support,” he said in an email.

“That is the biggest lesson from the COVID-19 pandemic — our collective safety is tied with that of other nations.”

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Sept. 13, 2024.

Canadian Press health coverage receives support through a partnership with the Canadian Medical Association. CP is solely responsible for this content.

The Canadian Press. All rights reserved.

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How many Nova Scotians are on the doctor wait-list? Number hit 160,000 in June

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HALIFAX – The Nova Scotia government says it could be months before it reveals how many people are on the wait-list for a family doctor.

The head of the province’s health authority told reporters Wednesday that the government won’t release updated data until the 160,000 people who were on the wait-list in June are contacted to verify whether they still need primary care.

Karen Oldfield said Nova Scotia Health is working on validating the primary care wait-list data before posting new numbers, and that work may take a matter of months. The most recent public wait-list figures are from June 1, when 160,234 people, or about 16 per cent of the population, were on it.

“It’s going to take time to make 160,000 calls,” Oldfield said. “We are not talking weeks, we are talking months.”

The interim CEO and president of Nova Scotia Health said people on the list are being asked where they live, whether they still need a family doctor, and to give an update on their health.

A spokesperson with the province’s Health Department says the government and its health authority are “working hard” to turn the wait-list registry into a useful tool, adding that the data will be shared once it is validated.

Nova Scotia’s NDP are calling on Premier Tim Houston to immediately release statistics on how many people are looking for a family doctor. On Tuesday, the NDP introduced a bill that would require the health minister to make the number public every month.

“It is unacceptable for the list to be more than three months out of date,” NDP Leader Claudia Chender said Tuesday.

Chender said releasing this data regularly is vital so Nova Scotians can track the government’s progress on its main 2021 campaign promise: fixing health care.

The number of people in need of a family doctor has more than doubled between the 2021 summer election campaign and June 2024. Since September 2021 about 300 doctors have been added to the provincial health system, the Health Department said.

“We’ll know if Tim Houston is keeping his 2021 election promise to fix health care when Nova Scotians are attached to primary care,” Chender said.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Sept. 11, 2024.

The Canadian Press. All rights reserved.

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Newfoundland and Labrador monitoring rise in whooping cough cases: medical officer

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ST. JOHN’S, N.L. – Newfoundland and Labrador‘s chief medical officer is monitoring the rise of whooping cough infections across the province as cases of the highly contagious disease continue to grow across Canada.

Dr. Janice Fitzgerald says that so far this year, the province has recorded 230 confirmed cases of the vaccine-preventable respiratory tract infection, also known as pertussis.

Late last month, Quebec reported more than 11,000 cases during the same time period, while Ontario counted 470 cases, well above the five-year average of 98. In Quebec, the majority of patients are between the ages of 10 and 14.

Meanwhile, New Brunswick has declared a whooping cough outbreak across the province. A total of 141 cases were reported by last month, exceeding the five-year average of 34.

The disease can lead to severe complications among vulnerable populations including infants, who are at the highest risk of suffering from complications like pneumonia and seizures. Symptoms may start with a runny nose, mild fever and cough, then progress to severe coughing accompanied by a distinctive “whooping” sound during inhalation.

“The public, especially pregnant people and those in close contact with infants, are encouraged to be aware of symptoms related to pertussis and to ensure vaccinations are up to date,” Newfoundland and Labrador’s Health Department said in a statement.

Whooping cough can be treated with antibiotics, but vaccination is the most effective way to control the spread of the disease. As a result, the province has expanded immunization efforts this school year. While booster doses are already offered in Grade 9, the vaccine is now being offered to Grade 8 students as well.

Public health officials say whooping cough is a cyclical disease that increases every two to five or six years.

Meanwhile, New Brunswick’s acting chief medical officer of health expects the current case count to get worse before tapering off.

A rise in whooping cough cases has also been reported in the United States and elsewhere. The Pan American Health Organization issued an alert in July encouraging countries to ramp up their surveillance and vaccination coverage.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Sept. 10, 2024.

The Canadian Press. All rights reserved.

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