SUDBURY -- Public Health officials in Sudbury have declared three more COVID-19 outbreaks, including a French elementary school and two long-term care homes.

Marking the city's fourth active outbreak since Jan.5.

This after there have been three COVID-related deaths in the city connected to an outbreak at Amberwood Suites retirement home. There have now been five COVID-related deaths in Sudbury since the pandemic began. Prior to the Amberwood deaths, the last one was on May 1.

SCHOOL-RELATED

Health officials said an outbreak has been declared at Ecole St-Denis, a French Catholic elementary school located in the hospital-area, after a second person tested positive for the disease. The second person has been linked to a previously-reported positive case in the school.

St-Denis is part of the Conseil scolaire Catholique Nouvelon school board. It has listed a total of three positive cases at the school as of Saturday at 7:13 a.m.  

"To date, affected classes include: Pre-Kindergarten/Kindergarten B, Pre-Kindergarten/Kindergarten C, Grade 2A, Grade 2B, Grade 3A, and elementary bus route L-800 (morning bus)," public health said in a news release Monday morning. "Parents and caregivers are being provided notice of the outbreak and will receive public health guidance. Public Health is working closely with Ecole St-Denis school and school board administrators at Conseil scolaire Catholique Nouvelon to monitor the outbreak, further limit the spread of infection, and ensure ongoing measures are maintained to protect students and employees."

The affected classes will remain at home until Jan. 27.

Public health will contact everyone directly who is considered a close contact and at risk of exposure and will provide further direction.

LONG-TERM CARE-RELATED

Outbreaks of COVID-19 were also declared by public health on Sunday at the Elizabeth Centre and Extendicare Falconbridge after positive cases of the disease has been confirmed in one staff member at each facility.

"To date, no residents have tested positive in relation to these outbreaks," health officials said. "Public Health is actively working with the long-term care homes to investigate the outbreaks and to protect residents and staff."

This is the third COVID outbreak at Extendicare Falconbridge since the pandemic began. The first was in July and the second in November.

COVID CASES IN SUDBURY

There are currently 62 active cases of COVID-19 in the Sudbury and Manitoulin Districts as of Sunday at 4 p.m. Since the pandemic began, there have been a total of 390 positive cases, with 57 of those linked to a COVID-outbreak, and 328 resolved.

Since Christmas Eve, the district has confirmed 133 new COVID-19 cases, accounting for 34 per cent of the total cases. This despite lockdown orders that began on Boxing Day. The continued surge in new cases and deaths across the province prompted the Ontario government to declare a second state of emergency and issue strict stay-at-home orders that began on Jan. 14 and will last for 28 days.

Of big concern is our health system being overwhelmed due to an influx of COVID patients. Currently, there are 11 patients at Health Sciences North with the disease. Another 11 have been tested and are awaiting results, including one person currently in the intensive care unit.

WAITING FOR THE VACCINE

The first COVID-19 vaccine was administered in Ontario on December 14. The government is prioritizing long-term care residents and staff, as well as front-line health care workers, in the areas hardest hit by the disease first. Some First Nation elders and nursing homes in northern Ontario have received vaccinations, but it has not yet been offered widely to those who live and work in long-term care in northern Ontario citing low supply, transportation and storage challenges.