NORTH BAY -- Health officials in the Timiskaming district are issuing a strong warning, asking residents to stay in their own household as cases of COVID-19 are multiplying in the region.

Four new positive cases of COVID-19 were announced in the northern part of the district in the Kirkland Lake area Wednesday.

The health unit has seen a spike of 30 new cases in December and nearly 20 cases in just more than a week. The total number of cases in the district sits at 48 and there are 15 active cases.

The health unit said if the Ford government didn't declare a province-wide lockdown starting on Dec. 26, the current trend would move the district into the province’s red/control framework.

There is one reported case of COVID-19 at École Catholique Assomption. The Conseil scolaire catholique de district des Grandes Rivières school board sent a letter to inform the school community.

The health unit is pleading with people to stay in their own household and limit social gatherings, saying the number of get-togethers and parties are getting out of control and they are leading to an increase in spread of the virus.

“It is just one of the most important things that we need to do and not wait until the 26th,” said acting medical officer of health Dr. Glenn Corneil. “We need to start doing this now in order to help get us through the lockdown and not stay in the red zone or the lockdown zone."

Recent spike

Corneil said health officials are quite concerned with the recent spike in cases and said it takes everyone’s cooperation to help flatten the curve.

“What we’re seeing right now is one case is spreading to a few cases, which is spreading to a number of more cases and it’s multiplying,” said Corneil. “It’s multiplying very quickly through our district.”

There are currently three confirmed cases at the Blanche River Hospital in Kirkland Lake. One inpatient resident is in stable condition and two staff members have also tested positive.

"We're hopeful that people will continue to follow the measures,” said hospital president and CEO Sean Conroy. "It's very important when we have finite levels of capacity in resources in our health-care system."

The hospital's assessment centre has been swabbing more than 130 patients daily for the last few days, shattering its record of between 70-80 people at the beginning of the pandemic.