New consolidated dashboard will provide a high-level assessment of localized respiratory virus activity

PORT HOPE, ON (September 27, 2022) – Beginning today, the Haliburton, Kawartha, Pine Ridge District Health Unit (HKPR District Health Unit) has released a new Respiratory Diseases Dashboard that will not only provide information on COVID-19 activity within the City of Kawartha Lakes, Haliburton County and Northumberland County but influenza activity as well.  

The epidemiological data is based on data entered in the Public Health Case and Contact Management Solution (CCM), Integrated Public Health Information (iPHIS), Acute Care Enhanced Surveillance (ACES) and Ontario Laboratories Information System (OLIS) as of 11:59 p.m. the previous Saturday.

Previously referred to as the COVID-19 Dashboard, the new Respiratory Diseases Dashboard is conveniently separated into three sections: Overview, COVID-19 Activity, and Influenza Activity. The revised dashboard will still provide localized epidemiological information on COVID-19 activity including daily case counts, hospitalizations, ICU admissions and deaths, outbreaks, and laboratory testing, but will also include a detailed overall summary of the respiratory season that also includes influenza information.

The New Respiratory Diseases Dashboard data tool as of September 27, 2022, includes:

• NEW: Two distinct tables for COVID-19 Activity and Influenza Activity
• NEW: The epidemiological reporting for Influenza activity will include the following data:
  • Graphs reporting on hospitalization and emergency department visits by age group and municipality.
  • Influenza activity and severity will be reported seasonally beginning in September.
  • Comparison graphs showcasing past respiratory seasons from 2017-2020 (the 2020-2022 respiratory seasons will not be provided due to the abnormal influenza seasons because of pandemic activity).
• REVISED: The epidemiological reporting for COVID-19 activity will see revisions, including:
  • Graphs will focus on the length of the pandemic with testing changes noted from January 2022.
  • Wastewater Surveillance data will show all three sites (Cobourg, Lindsay, and Minden) condensed into one graph and colour coded by site.

“We really wanted to provide our community with a data tool that provides both localized influenza and COVID-19 activity indicators and trends in a visual and impactful way,” said Fiona Kelly, Director of Foundational Standards and Chief Nursing Official for the HKPR District Health Unit.

The Respiratory Diseases Dashboard will be released weekly on Tuesdays (excluding statutory holidays), within one consolidated report and available on the HKPR District Health Unit’s website.

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Media Contact:
Ashley Ann Beaulac, Manager of Communication Services, HKPR District Health Unit, 1-866-888-4577 ext. 1212, abeaulac@hkpr.on.ca or Fiona Kelly, Director of Foundational Standards and Chief Nursing Official, HKPR District Health Unit, 1-866-888-4577 ext. 2303.

About the Haliburton, Kawartha Pine Ridge District Health Unit
The Haliburton, Kawartha, Pine Ridge District Health Unit provides important public health programs and services to residents in Northumberland County, Haliburton County, and the City of Kawartha Lakes. Our dedicated team of public health professionals, led by our Medical Officer of Health, promote healthy living, protect against disease, and prevent illness and injury. We work with health care providers and community partners to address emerging health issues, service gaps and social inequities to support residents in being well and reaching their full potential. Our values of trust, engagement, accountability, and leadership guide what we do every day. Learn more at www.hkpr.on.ca.