Press Release
RCDHU
Renfrew County and District Health Unit (RCDHU) is monitoring signals for viral COVID-19 particles in Pembroke and Petawawa wastewater. While recent signals are relatively stable, COVID-19 particles are still being detected in local wastewater.
This data compliments other evidence that demonstrates COVID-19 transmission and activity is still occurring across
Renfrew County and District (RCD). For more details, please review the latest COVID-19 Wastewater Surveillance Initiative in Renfrew County and District (RCD) report. Please note that wastewater sampling in RCD is currently limited to Pembroke and Petawawa wastewater
treatment plants, which represents only 30% of RCDHU’s total population. As such, trends in wastewater may not necessarily reflect overall COVID-19 levels and transmission for RCD.
Currently, our testing percent positivity is low (4.5% in RCD vs. 16% in the Ottawa Public Health catchment area), but it is rapidly rising. The institutional outbreak activity is higher than previous weeks, including 4 new confirmed outbreaks in the past 10 days.
Residents are encouraged to continue the use of preventative measures (e.g., masking in high-risk settings) to reduce the spread of COVID-19 in our communities. While many may be looking at participating in summer get-togethers in the coming weeks, please keep COVID-19 in mind, assess your risk and add layers of protection. By following the recommendations put forth by the Champlain Region’s Hospital Chiefs of Staff and Medical Officers of Health, the best way to protect yourself, your family and your community is to:
- get vaccinated with all the doses you are eligible for;
- limit your close contacts;
- wear a mask in indoor public spaces;
- practice frequent hand hygiene; and
- stay home if you are sick.
Currently, walk-in appointments are accepted at all COVID-19 vaccination clinics. For more
information on COVID-19 vaccination, visit https://www.rcdhu.com/novel-coronavirus-covid-
19-vaccine-rollout/. If you would prefer to book a COVID-19 vaccine appointment, please visit
https://covid-19.ontario.ca/covid-19-vaccines-ontario.
For more information, please visit the Renfrew County and District Health Unit website at
https://www.rcdhu.com/.
