The health unit that covers Oxford and Elgin counties is warning that up to 70 people may have been exposed to COVID-19 at a recent funeral in Aylmer.
Southwestern Public Health said the funeral and prayer service were held at Old Colony Church late last week. Medical Officer of Health Dr. Joyce Lock sent an alert to area hospitals and physicians, saying additional exposures may have occurred prior to the funeral, particularly among family members of the deceased.
"On July 1, 2020, Southwestern Public Health (SWPH) was informed of the death of a woman in her 60s who died at Tillsonburg District Memorial Hospital and was diagnosed as COVID-19 positive after her death. We subsequently started the process of contact tracing with family and the attendees of the funeral service that was held," a statement from Dr. Lock said. "Contact tracing and case management are routine practices when a case is identified; these practices are intended to quickly contain exposure and risk to the community."
Anyone who went to the funeral or prayer service is being asked to self-isolate for 14 days, while health care providers are being asked to test the attendees without requiring that they prove they are at risk.
"This is only one case currently. It is not an outbreak," Dr. Lock said.