The Eastern Ontario Health Unit (EOHU) is notifying the public that a case of COVID-19 has been confirmed in an employee at the Food Basics grocery store on Brookdale Ave. in Cornwall. The EOHU is actively working in cooperation with the Brookdale Food Basics store to assess the risk to store employees and to trace contacts of the individual. The risk to the public is considered to be low.

The employee worked day shifts at the Brookdale Food Basics store on April 13^th, 14^th, 15^th, 16^th and 18^th. The individual started to develop symptoms on April 15^th and was tested for CVOD-19 on April 17^th; the result was confirmed on April 18^th. After receiving the test result, the employee immediately left work and entered isolation. All recommended public health measures were in place at the store throughout the days that the employee worked. In response to the positive case, the store is undertaking appropriate additional cleaning and disinfection.

“Although we feel that the risk to the public is low, we’re releasing this information so that shoppers who were at the Brookdale Food Basics during this period are aware,” states Dr. Paul Roumeliotis, Medical Officer of Health. “As a precaution, shoppers who were at the store on these dates should self-monitor for symptoms. If they start to feel symptoms, they should seek testing.” Common symptoms of COVID-19 can include fever, a new or worsening cough, sore throat, muscle aches and more. A full list of symptoms is available at www.EOHU.ca/coronavirus.  

Testing is offered at a number of COVID-19 assessment centres in the region. Locations and hours of the assessment centres are available on the EOHU’s website. Anyone presenting with symptoms, who was at the store on the dates above, should indicate to the assessment centre that they were potentially exposed.

Precautionary Measures Are Essential

The EOHU is reminding everyone across the United Counties of Stormont, Dundas and Glengarry, Prescott and Russell, and the City of Cornwall that precautionary measures are essential to protect the general public, including the most vulnerable, like seniors and people with pre-existing health conditions.

“With nicer weather, it’s natural to want to go out to do things. However, this case is a reminder that it’s still very important to stay home as much as possible and avoid all non-essential outings,” says Dr. Roumeliotis. “It’s the best way to avoid exposure to COVID-19.”

To reduce the risk of getting or spreading COVID-19, the EOHU recommends that you:

• Stay home as much as possible.
• Stay at least 2 metres (6 feet) away from others.
• Clean your hands often with soap and water or hand sanitizer.
• Avoid touching your eyes, nose and mouth unless you have just cleaned your hands.
• Cough and sneeze into a tissue or into your elbow, not into your hand.
  
  

For more information about COVID-19, please consult EOHU.ca/coronavirus and Ontario’s website at Ontario.ca/coronavirus.