Data base error blamed for recent spike in York Region COVID cases

CTVnews.ca
August 25, 2020

York Region Public Health assures residents that a spike in positive COVID-19 cases over the weekend was simply a reporting error.

On Sunday, the health unit reported 18 new cases of the virus. For the last two weeks, new daily cases ranged between one and 10, averaging around five new cases a day.

When 18 cases were reported on Sunday, questions arose about a possible surge and what was causing it. But the health unit’s Associate Medical Officer of Health Dr. Alanna Fitzgerald-Husek confirmed there was a reporting delay.

“There was a new automation feature that was turned on in the new provincial database system,” she said on Monday.

Eleven of the 18 cases were delayed. Seven of which should have been reported on Sunday, seven on Saturday and four on Friday.

“It was just a delay for the reporting. All of our cases were contacted within the 24 hours of public health notification,” said Fitzgerald-Husek.

“Things are still well under control in York Region, and it’s thanks to people doing a great job in terms of helping follow public health measures and keeping our counts down,” she added.