**PORCUPINE HEALTH UNIT NEWS RELEASE**

There have been no new positive cases in the Porcupine Health Unit (PHU) area in the last 24 hours. The current number of confirmed positive cases is now 67, two of which remain active.

Visitors to long term care homes should consider their personal health and susceptibility to the virus in determining whether they should visit. If you would like to see your loved ones in long term care, you must meet certain requirements. Those include passing an active screening questionnaire and following long-term care home infection, prevention and control protocols. You will also need to attest to home staff that you have tested negative for COVID-19 within the previous 2 weeks.

Remember, even if your test result is negative or you don’t have any symptoms, the test only tells you that you did not have an infection at the time of your test. COVID-19 is still circulating, and you may still be able to spread COVID-19 if you came in contact with it just before or after your test. If your results are negative and you begin developing symptoms, arrange to get retested.

To keep everyone safe, continue to wash your hands often, cover your coughs and sneezes and disinfect commonly touched surfaces often. With people outside your social circle, continue to practice physical distancing and wear a mask if this isn’t possible.

Call your primary care provider or the PHU. Our COVID-19 Information line is open today from 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. Call the toll-free number, 1-800-461-1818 or the PHU office in your community. See our office listings for local contact numbers.

Stay home if you have symptoms. Stay safe.

Filed under: Local News