The Haliburton Kawartha Pine Ridge District Health Unit says the World Health Organization’s declaration that COVID-19 is a pandemic should not cause panic among residents and that preparations are ongoing to assist health-care providers in protecting people and containing the spread of illness.

“At this time we still do not have any local cases” Dr. Lynn Noseworthy medical officer of health for the HKPR Health Unit said in a media release on March 11. “And while we may eventually see cases in our area we have been working with our hospitals and health-care providers to ensure we have supports in place to protect our residents and contain the spread of the illness when it arrives.”

The health unit is providing test information to residents who call with questions following up with those who have been tested to make sure anyone who needs to self-isolate does so giving updated information to people through the call centre and sending information to community agencies and partners.

A pandemic is defined as “the global spread of a new disease and is based on the spread of the disease rather than the severity of the illness it causes” information from the health unit states.

“The majority of people who test positive for COVID-19 are experiencing mild symptoms and are recovering fully” Noseworthy said.

Prevent the spread of illness:

People who have questions or concerns on COVID-19 can call the health unit at 1-866-888-4577 ext. 5020 or visit www.hkpr.on.ca . After hours people can call Telehealth Ontario for medical advice toll-free at 1-866-797-0000.