UPDATE: 249 health-care workers test positive for coronavirus in York Region

More than half of COVID-19 cases in health-care workers have been resolved

Yorkregion.com
May 12, 2020
Shelia Wang

York Region Public Health has re-categorized several confirmed COVID-19 cases, resulting a spike in the number of infected health-care workers on May 11.

A total of 249 health-care workers have tested positive for COVID-19 in York Region, including one fatality, as the region's total number of confirmed positive cases reached 1,905 over the past weekend.

These health-care workers include physicians, nurses and paramedics, according to the region.

The increase by 160 cases from the weekend was a result of existing cases being re-categorized as part of data quality activities, according to the region.

These cases were re-categorized as they were either outbreak-related or because more complete occupation data became available.

Data quality activities -- which take place on an ongoing process -- do not increase or decrease total case counts.

A Markham personal support worker died due to COVID-19 complications on April 15, marking the first York Region front-line health-care worker who died of the virus.

Christine Mandegarian, 54, worked at Sienna Altamont Care Community in Scarborough.

There were 31 coronavirus outbreaks in institutions such as long-term care facilities and 19 outbreaks in community care settings in the region, as of April 19.

Two long-term care homes and one group home for the developmentally disabled have dealt with outbreaks of COVID-19, in which staff members have tested positive for the virus.

On March 23, York Region Public Health confirmed its first case of community transmission of the COVID-19 virus, a day after the region reported its first COVID-19-related death.