Although the risk to patrons remains low, customers of a Colborne Tim Hortons are encouraged to self-monitor for symptoms after the local health unit yesterday declared an outbreak at the restaurant.
The Haliburton, Kawartha, Pine Ridge District Health Unit declared the outbreak yesterday morning at the Tim Hortons on Big Apple Drive in Colborne after two staff were confirmed COVID-19 positive and it was determined that exposure could have occurred in the workplace. There are now four confirmed cases among staff from that Tim Hortons.
Through further investigation, the Health Unit has now determined that there may be a risk to patrons, albeit small.
With that new knowledge, the Health Unit is encouraging anyone who was served inside the restaurant or served through the drive-through at the Tim Hortons on Big Apple Drive in Colborne between November 23 to 30 to monitor themselves for COVID-19 symptoms.
“Although we do not believe customers are at a high risk, we are encouraging anyone who visited the restaurant during the specified dates to self-monitor for symptoms,” says Dr. Lynn Noseworthy, Medical Officer of Health for the HKPR District Health Unit. “If anyone does develop symptoms, they are encouraged to get tested and self-isolate while awaiting test results.”
Symptoms of COVID-19 range from mild to severe and may take up to 14 days to appear after exposure to COVID-19. Common symptoms of COVID-19 include fever, new or worsening cough, shortness of breath, sore throat, difficulty swallowing, smell/tasting disorder, nausea/vomiting, diarrhea, abdominal pain, or runny nose or nasal congestion.
Additional information about symptoms and local assessment centres can be found on the Health Unit’s website: www.hkpr.on.ca
Workplace Outbreaks:
While the Health Unit will not routinely share the location of workplace outbreaks, this facility is a food premise and the Health Unit is unable to reasonably reach anyone who may have been exposed to the virus through person-to-person contact on the dates noted.
“Doing case and contact management for a confirmed case or an outbreak is a very detailed and lengthy process,” says Dr. Noseworthy. “Information is always evolving, and you are always learning more about the situation. When we declared the outbreak yesterday, we did not have the complete picture we now have.”
Workplace outbreaks will routinely be captured in the dashboard of cases and outbreaks updated six days a week on the Health Unit’s website: www.hkpr.on.ca
As well, the Health Unit may also share information about a workplace if the workplace requests public notification – even if there is no risk to the public.
The number of confirmed cases in the HKPR District Health Unit area continues to climb. In order to help stop the spread of the virus, Dr. Noseworthy says it is important that all people follow the public health measures: staying home if ill, wearing a mask when out in public, practising physical distancing and reducing non-essential travel, especially to areas considered higher risk.
Submitted by the Haliburton, Kawartha, Pine Ridge Health Unit
