APH reporting four new COVID cases, outbreak declared at Child Care Algoma facility in Echo Bay

There are currently 41 active COVID cases in Algoma as of Sunday evening

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Algoma Public Health has declared a COVID-19 outbreak at Echo Bay Early Learning Centre (Child Care Algoma).

In a release, APH said "an outbreak in a child care setting is declared when two or more laboratory confirmed cases of COVID-19 are linked and occur within 14 days of each other, and at least one case could have acquired their infection in the child care setting."

Echo Bay Early Learning and Care Program will be closed until April 26 as a result.

"All high risk close contacts have been identified by APH and instructions have been provided regarding COVID-19 testing and self-isolation requirements," a release from APH said. "Working with the child care centre, APH will continue to review and reinforce infection prevention and control practices to help prevent COVID-19 transmission."

The four new COVID cases announced by APH on Sunday evening are all in the Sault Ste. Marie area and bring the total number of cases in the region since the start of the pandemic to 269.

There are currently 41 active cases in Algoma, with one active case in a non-Algoma resident who is temporarily in the region.

APH is also reporting one hospitalization and a hospitalization of a non-Algoma resident currently in the region temporarily.

All four of the new cases were infected through close contact with a known confirmed case and were tested over the past three days (one on April 9, one on April 10, and two on April 11).

All individuals are currently self-isolating.

Algoma regions with COVID cases reported in the past 14 days include: