Public Health Sudbury and Districts is pointing to a "cluster" of new COVID-19 cases as proof of a need to be COVID-safe.
The health unit's confirmed eight new cases in Greater Sudbury, noting that's a total of 21 since December 21st, or 275 since the beginning of the pandemic - leaving the health unit with seventeen "active" at this time - and it comes as the province reported a record-high 2923 new cases.
Medical Officer of Health Dr. Penny Sutcliffe says eight of the cases reported over the holiday season have been linked to common exposures including a Christmas Eve gathering, adding "seeing cases that come from activities that are frankly against public health advice and current shutdown measures is frustrating at best", emphasizing "lives and livelihoods are in the balance", pointing to recent surges in the Timiskaming, Thunder Bay, and Simcoe Muskoka areas.
Sutcliffe reminds the provincewide shutdown - which is in effect for Northern Ontario until at least January 9th - restricts indoor gatherings only to those in your household, while outdoor organized events and social gatherings are limited to ten people, who must comply with physical distancing advice.