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Hastings Prince Edward Public Health reports two more COVID-19-related deaths as the number of known active cases stands at around 100.

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After technical problems with its website, the health department published the first new statistics in a week on Thursday. As of the morning of May 12, there have been 96 new cases in high-risk environments. In those settings, 104 cases were active, compared to 141 on May 12 and 274 on May 5.

The active count had actually fallen as low as 91 on May 16, the website showed, before bouncing back up.

Since the pandemic began, 59 local deaths had been linked to COVID-19. Forty-eight were from people who were at least 70 years old and seven from people in their 60s. Two patients were in their 50s.

The youngest dead was one person between the ages of 12 and 17 and another between the ages of 30 and 39, the website showed.

Hospital admissions fell significantly, falling by 10 cases to 16. However, two people were in intensive care as of Thursday, compared to none on May 12.

There were seven outbreaks in high-risk environments on Thursday, four fewer than a week earlier.

The latest were those at Trenton’s Crown Ridge Retirement Residence, which was declared May 17, and Belleville General Hospital’s Quinte 6 inpatient unit, which was declared May 16.

An outbreak also occurred at a community-based facility in central Hastings County; The health unit does not typically identify these facilities by name. The other outbreaks occurred at Hastings Centennial Manor Long-Term Care Home in Bancroft, Belmont Long-Term Care Home in Belleville, Quinte Gardens Nursing Home in Belleville and Crown Ridge Long-Term Care Home in Trenton. The health unit no longer publishes case numbers for outbreaks.

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The update also showed the region’s only percentage increase in COVID-19 vaccination rates over the past month: 63 percent of adult residents had received at least one booster shot, an increase of 1 percent. It was the first course change since March 25.

93 percent of all adults had received at least one vaccine dose and 88 percent had two or more.

Among residents five years and older, 89 percent had at least one dose, 83 percent had two, and 55 percent had three or more.

For more information on COVID-19, including immunizations, testing, and support, visit hpepublichealth.ca.

Free, confidential mental health support for any problem is available from Quinte Health Care’s Crisis Intervention Center at 613-969-7400 ext. 2753 or 1-888-757-7766 or Addiction and Mental Health Services at 310-OPEN (6736).