Town notified of St. Marys resident with confirmed case of COVID-19

Resident is first confirmed case in Huron-Perth region; risk remains low

The Town has been notified by Huron Perth Public Health (HPPH) that a resident of St. Marys has tested positive for COVID-19 (corona virus).

According to HPPH, the resident is a 64 year-old male who presented to the emergency department at St. Marys Memorial Hospital on Thursday, March 12, 2020 with symptoms unrelated to COVID-19. His condition changed in the emergency department and it was identified that COVID-19 should be considered, so testing and precautions were initiated immediately. He was later transferred to Stratford General Hospital.  

The patient recently travelled to Mexico, returning home on March 2. When the patient began feeling sick with unrelated illness on March 7, he began self-isolating at home. Currently the patient is in Stratford General Hospital in serious condition.

HPPH is working with the local health system partners to identify all known contacts who may have been potentially exposed to the virus and assess any potential health risk. This is the first confirmed case of COVID-19 in Perth County. According to Dr. Miriam Klassen, Medical Officer of Health for HPPH, the risk to St. Marys and Perth County residents remains low.

Mayor Al Strathdee made the following statement after hearing the announcement from HPPH:

“The Town of St. Marys has been working proactively to reduce the spread of COVID-19 in our community,” he said. “We have already closed many of our municipal facilities and enacted an official pandemic plan to protect all residents and visitors.”

He continued: “With the announcement of a positive case in a St. Marys resident, we will be considering further actions to contain the virus. We will continue to work with our partners at the Huron Perth Public Health to ensure all decisions follow their expert recommendations.”

“As we deal with this difficult and evolving situation, I want to remind all residents that the protection of their health and safety is our number one priority. We will continue to share information and updates with the public as soon as they become available,” he added.

Questions about the confirmed case of COVID-19 can be directed to Huron Perth Public Health by phone (1-888-221-2133, ext. 3267). For more information about the confirmed case and for the most up-to-date information about COVID-19, visit the HPPH website at: www.hpph.ca/coronavirus.

A full list of municipal facility closures and program cancellations is available at www.townofstmarys.com/covid19. As of Saturday, March 15, 2020, this list will include the St. Marys VIA Rail Station and the St. Marys Station Gallery. VIA Rail trains will continue to operate; tickets can be purchased online (www.viarail.ca), by phone (1-888-VIA-RAIL) or on board the trains.

The Town of St. Marys is committed to open communication throughout these closures and cancellations. If you have questions regarding municipal facilities, programs or bookings, please call 519-284-2160 from 9:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m. daily or communications@town.stmarys.on.ca any time.

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Contact

Brett O’Reilly | Corporate Communications & Events Manager
519-284-2340, ext. 432 or 519-272-4376| boreilly@town.stmarys.on.ca