More COVID-19 tests will be done in the region for a limited time as part of a targeted Northern Ontario surveillance opportunity, according to the Porcupine Health Unit.

“This important, time-limited, initiative to expand testing will provide a better understanding of the status of COVID-19 and the effectiveness of public health measures in our population,” said Dr. Lianne Catton, PHU medical officer of health, in a news release. “As a result, there will be an increase in testing across the PHU region to collect this information and guide our next steps.”

For it, people with mild symptoms will be referred to one of the assessment centres in the region for testing. 

The new symptoms recently added to the list by the province include cough, fever, difficulty breathing, sore throat/hoarse voice, difficulty swallowing, loss of smell or taste, fatigue, muscle aches, runny nose, loss of appetite, diarrhea, and nausea or vomiting.

If you have symptoms, call your primary care giver or Porcupine Health Unit to talk about being tested. 

The assessment centres are still by appointment only, and people need to be referred by their health care provider or the health unit.

There are currently 39 confirmed COVID-19 cases in the health unit’s region.

Yesterday, an outbreak was declared at Spruce Hill Lodge in South Porcupine after a resident, a woman in her 90s, tested positive. The health unit reports the cause as community exposure, and she is in self-solation.

To date, health unit is aware of 663 COVID-19 tests being submitted locally. Of the 39 positive cases, 14 are resolved and two people have died. There have been 492 negative tests, and the results of 132 are pending.

Of the local cases, 24 are in Timmins, 14 are in the area of Cochrane, Matheson, Iroquois Falls, and Smooth Rock Falls, and one is in the area of Kapuskasing, Opasatika, Val Rita-Harty, Moonbeam, and Fauquier-Strickland.

The PHU COVID-19 information line is open today from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. It can be reached at 705-267-1181 or 1-800-461-1818.