The Grey Bruce Health Unit is working to lessen concerns and manage unwarranted anxiety in the community as related to a cluster of COVID-19 cases in the Municipality of South Bruce Peninsula.

Some of the seven cases associated with this cluster did not have their guard up over the past two weeks, including Thanksgiving weekend. Case management undertaken by the Grey Bruce Health Unit assessed the risk for a significant number of contacts associated with some of these cases.

It is important to note that the first case identified in a cluster, including this one, is not necessarily the source case that transmitted to other cases in the cluster.

Achieving containment of a cluster requires cases to be completely forthcoming in providing details of all contacts. Failure of a case to provide full and complete list of close contacts has the potential to hinder Public Health investigations. Whether additional cases emerge or not, the investigation most often will lead to identifying the individuals that failed to provide complete information. These individuals are not only potentially putting others at risk they are predisposing themselves to the possibility of Section 22 Order under the Health Protection and Promotion Act that may entail serious fines and civil court action for injunction on an expedited basis.

Determining who is a close contact is a decision that can only be made by Public Health. A Public Health case manager contacts anyone identified as a contact to the confirmed cases directly. Anyone NOT contacted by Public Health is not considered at risk and need not take any additional steps, including asymptomatic testing.

Additional community response, such as closing facilities, is not required unless directed by Public Health. In this instance, there is no direction nor order given. However, municipalities are entitled to close their facilities.

These cases further confirm that most local transmission is likely community-based and more often than not through household contacts, or close contact in other people’s homes, at parties, and other social gatherings. This is a specific reason why close contact with anyone outside of your household is discouraged.

Currently, there are no COVID-19 outbreaks, evidence of transmission from person to person in any school, childcare centre, or long-term care/retirement home in Grey Bruce.

Public Health takes the lead in all outbreaks and case management. We will let you know if you were in close contact with someone who has COVID-19, based on a thorough risk assessment completed only by Public Health. For more information, visit our website www.publichealthgreybruce.on.ca

source: media release, Grey Bruce Public Health