WELLINGTON COUNTY – On Oct. 20, for the first time since the pandemic hit here in late March, Wellington-Dufferin-Guelph Public Health reported zero active cases of COVID-19 in Wellington County.
There are still ongoing cases in the region, however.
On the same day, Guelph had three new cases and 25 active cases and Dufferin County had 21 active cases.
Neither had any hospitalizations due to COVID-19.
“This is evidence we are going a good job,” said public health spokesperson Danny Williamson.
“We need to remember that and be proud of that. But we know (COVID-19) is circulating in the community. We still need to act like it’s here, because it is.”
Williamson said public health officials tend to look at weekly averages versus single-day counts as it gives a clearer picture of what is going on in the community.
There can be a day with no new cases, followed by a day with 10 or more.
As well, “case counts are only a reflection of positive tests,” Williamson added.
“That means COVID-19 is likely circulating in the county right now in asymptomatic or untested individuals that wouldn’t be captured in the data.”
Williamson acknowledged that people are feeling “pandemic fatigue.”
“People are looking for reasons to think we are back to normal. But until a vaccine is available, we have to do what we’ve been doing: wear a face mask, wash your hands, physical distance, and stay home if unwell,” he said.
Williamson also noted Thanksgiving was only a week ago and officials will have to wait at least two weeks to see whether people mixed and mingled too much over the holiday long weekend.
“We’re in the low part of this thing and it’s been hard. But we have to protect one another,” he said.
“Remember, our individual choices are what makes the difference.”
Since the start of the pandemic there have been 113 cases reported in Wellington County, including 111 resolved cases and two deaths.
