Northwestern Health Unit issues warning of 'increased COVID-19 risk' in Kenora region

The Northwestern Health Unit is warning of increased COVID-19 risk in the Kenora area.

The health unit said there have been 10 confirmed cases within its Kenora region in the last 17 days, with a positivity rate that is six times higher than during the summer and is now similar to southern Ontario.

"This surge is our region's wake-up call," said Northwestern Health Unit medical officer of health Dr. Kit Young Hoon in a written statement.

"We've seen the devastation that COVID-19 has brought to other areas in Canada, and we need our residents to do everything they can to prevent the spread."

Three of the cases are currently hospitalized in Kenora, due to symptoms or risk factors.

Some of the cases have been related to travel outside of the region, health unit officials said, but added many have neither travelled nor had any contact with known cases.

The Health Unit has issued recommendations against non-essential travel outside of northwestern Ontario, in particularly urging anyone who comes into the area from Manitoba should not interact with anyone outside their household for 14 days upon arrival. 

There has been one new case reported by the health unit in its Kenora region in each of the last three days. There has been one case in recent weeks involving a school, with a student at the St. Louis Living Arts School having tested positive.