Will York Region map coronavirus cases by postal code?

You asked if public health is well equipped to handle increase in COVID-19 cases. We found out.

Yorkregion.com
June 3, 2020

York Region’s coronavirus cases continue to come in, with more than 2,600 confirmed cases, including more than 200 COVID-19 related deaths as of June 1.

You, the reader, have sent in a number of questions asking about the region’s numbers, data mapping and how public health gets involved.

We tracked down those answers directly from York Region Public Health.

WILL YORK REGION PUBLIC HEALTH MAP COVID-19 CASES BY POSTAL CODE JUST AS TORONTO HAS DONE?

No, for a number of reasons:

• There is a large difference in the number of cases between Toronto and York Region;

• Unlike Toronto, York Region and the nine local municipalities do not have the same distinct geographic neighbourhoods; this means similar data cannot be mapped in a meaningful way;

• Mapping data can lead to stigmatization of communities where there may be greater rates of disease.

Maps can be useful, but there are other ways of presenting the same data in a meaningful way.

Instead, public health has a series of graphs showing the rate of infection over time, accounting for population size and details about COVID-19 cases are broken down by municipality giving a snapshot of activity in each town or city.

WHAT IS THE TREND OF COMMUNITY OR LOCAL TRANSMISSION IN YORK REGION?

Early on in the outbreak, community or local transmission and travel-related cases were driving York Region’s case count.

This then transitioned to institutional outbreaks.

Currently, local transmission makeup about 19 per cent of the region’s confirmed COVID-19 cases, compared to about 37 per cent from institutional outbreaks.

The region is now seeing a very slight increase in community transmission again as well as an uptick in institutional outbreak-related cases.

HOW QUICKLY DOES YORK REGION PUBLIC HEALTH CONTACT PEOPLE WHO TEST POSITIVE FOR COVID-19?

York Region Public Health contacts all confirmed cases within 24 hours of being notified of the positive laboratory result.

If, after three attempts, public health is unable to make contact, a letter is sent requesting an urgent call back.

The health matter is not disclosed in the letter.

This is standard followup practice.

IS YORK REGION PUBLIC HEALTH SUFFICIENTLY STAFFED TO CONTACT AND TRACE ALL PEOPLE WHO HAVE TESTED POSITIVE FOR COVID-19?

Yes.

Public health has been planning for future scenarios to ensure the workforce can be nimble and responsive should there be further increases in cases and outbreaks.

Public health has relied on support from the region, matching available skill sets with identified needs as well as leveraged support from Public Health Ontario to reach contacts quickly.

Through this partnership, public health's response to COVID-19 has not been delayed by trying to recruit additional staff through traditional hiring processes.

Public health has a dedicated team of contact tracers working seven days a week.

ARE PEOPLE WHO TEST POSITIVE REQUIRED BY LAW TO CO-OPERATE WITH PUBLIC HEALTH OFFICIALS?

The Health Protection and Promotion Act gives public health units, like York Region, the authority to issue orders if individuals are not following the directions of public health.

York Region Public Health relies on the co-operation of residents in case investigation.