Most of us in Orillia woke up this morning in uncharted waters.
For the first time since a train derailment in the mid 1980s, the city has declared a state of emergency as part of an attempt to slow the spread of the dreaded coronavirus as the grip of the COVID-19 global pandemic tightens.
Mayor Steve Clarke said the move is not meant to induce panic, but rather to give those not taking the situation seriously a jolt. The move also "streamlines" decision making and opens up a range of new potential powers and funding sources the municipality could tap into if things worsen.
"Declaring a state of emergency is not done to incite panic, but to demonstrate how necessary meaningful action by everyone is," said Clarke. "It also allows our city to dedicate more resources and be in a better position to mitigate the effects of the COVID-19 virus."
Here's what we know. There have been two confirmed COVID-19 cases to date in Orillia.
One was an Orillia male in his 60's who had previously travelled abroad. The other is a man from Bradford in his 20's, who is associated with another confirmed case in Bradford; both are related to travel to Ecuador.
Neither are gravely ill but, rather, are self-isolating at home.
On Thursday, the morning after the first local case was confirmed, Orillia Soldiers' Memorial Hospital (OSMH) opened a drive-thru assessment centre for those who fear they might be exhibiting symptons.
It's important to note, people should use the self-assessment tool before considering going to the assessment centre on the west side of OSMH, off of Mississaga Street.
An OSMH official told OrilliaMatters today that about 10 per cent of those who come to the assessment centre are sent to the hospital for testing.
On the first day the centre opened, 176 patients went through the process of talking to a nurse from their car window. On the second day, yesterday, 262 patients were screened.
The facility is open seven days a week. For hours and other information about the assessment centre, click here.
Officials continue to preach the importance of being vigilant: washing your hands for 20 seconds with soap and hot water often; practising social distancing of six feet between you and the next person; coughing into your sleeve; not touching your eyes, nose or mouth; and, perhaps most importantly, staying at home as much as possible.
It's vital to remember that you may not exhibit symptoms for up to 14 days and during that time period, exposure to a vulnerable person - a person over the age of 60 with underlying health issues - could put that person in peril.
As of 10:30 a.m. this morning, there are 377 confirmed COVID-19 cases in the province. To date, 23,384 people in Ontario have been approved for testing. Over 7,200 of those remain under investigation; a total of 15,768 cases were negative.
There is a concern those numbers will rise as Snowbirds return to Canada. The Ontario Ministry of Health advises that anyone who has travelled outside of Canada should:
- self-isolate for 14 days when they return. People who are self-isolating should not go to work
- monitor themselves for symptoms of the 2019 novel coronavirus for 14 days after returning to Canada
- contact Telehealth Ontario at 1-866-797-0000 or their local public health unit if they experience symptoms of the 2019 novel coronavirus
