A health-care worker at the North Bay Regional Health Centre has tested positive for COVID-19.

The worker is currently in self-isolation with mild symptoms.

There are no other confirmed COVID-19 cases with staff, physicians or patients at the health centre.

The health centre is continuing to take measures to prevent the spread of COVID-19, including restricting visitors and a universal mask initiative to keep the hospital community safe.

“In an effort to further reduce the risk of COVID-19 transmission among our staff, physicians, patients and community, our health centre instituted a universal mask initiative on April 8,” says Tiziana Silveri, executive vice-president of clinical services and chief nursing executive.

“The safety of our patients and staff is always a priority and we are taking additional infection prevention and control measures including enhanced cleaning — all to continue to keep your hospital safe.”

The North Bay Parry Sound District Health Unit is working with the hospital on contact tracing activities to identify and follow-up with close contacts of the staff member.

There is no specific treatment for COVID-19. Most people with COVID-19 have no symptoms or mild symptoms. People who are mildly ill should isolate and care for themselves at home. Most will recover in one to two weeks by simply treating the symptoms.

Anyone who believes he or she has COVID-19 symptoms or who has been in close contact with someone who has it should first self-isolate and then use Ontario’s self-assessment tool to determine if you should seek further care.

Those who need further assistance should call their health-care provider or the health unit at 1-800-563-2808.

This will help keep the emergency room resources available for trauma and emergent care patients.

If you have severe symptoms, such as difficulty breathing, you should call 911 and mention your travel history and your symptoms.

Before this case, the health unit was reporting 18 cases of COVID-19 in the Nipissing-Parry Sound area. Of those, 16 have been resolved.