Sudbury's health unit says area added 82 COVID-19 cases over the weekend

Sudbury -

Public Health Sudbury & Districts reported 82 new COVID-19 cases Monday, statistics that also reflect new cases from the weekend.

Most of the cases – 77 – were in Greater Sudbury, with four reported in Manitoulin district and one in Sudbury district.

At Health Sciences North, 23 people are now in hospital with the disease, including seven people in ICU. Another four people in hospital are suspected to have COVID-19.

Two new outbreaks were reported over the weekend, one at Lockerby Composite Secondary School and the second at Rock Solid Property Management.

Monday marked the first day of tightened pandemic measures in the area covered by Public Health. Dr. Penny Sutcliffe, medical officer of health, issued work-from-home instructions Friday under Ontario's Reopening Ontario Act.

The instructions include "strong recommendations to area schools, businesses, and organizations, and implementing stricter protocols for contacts of COVID-19 cases," the health unit said in a news release.

The health unit is also bringing in a voluntary Rapid Antigen Test (RAT) screening of students, in coordination with local school boards.

"This is being rolled out now and in advance of the Holiday season, offering another layer of protection," the release said.