Niagara's top doctor providing us with an update this morning on an uptick in cases over the long weekend.
Public Health is reporting five new outbreaks of COVID-19 at long term care homes in the region.
The facilities include West Park Lodge and Tufford Nursing Home in St. Catharines, Kilean Lodge in Grimsby, Crescent Park Lodge in Fort Erie and Albright Manor in Lincoln.
Doctor Mustafa Hirji says it's the result of increased testing at nursing homes
He says the outbreaks involve people who are asymptomatic but nonetheless need to be monitored so the virus does not spread.
Hirji adding they have also seen a few more community transmission cases which he hopes is just a blip.
But he notes it serves as a reminder COVID-19 is still out there and we must continue to take the necessary precautions.
Over the weekend Public Health reported 14 additional cases of the virus in Niagara on Saturday, 15 new cases on Sunday and five more yesterday.
Meantime, CKTB's Tim Denis asked the doctor about an anonymous report we received stating there has been a case of COVID at a local daycare.
Hirji says he can confirm there has been a case of the virus at a Niagara area daycare that takes care of the children of essential workers.
But he says it seems to be a situation where it was pretty low risk to anyone else at the daycare.
Doctor Hirji also confirming reports an essential worker who works on the other side of the border has tested positive for the virus.
He says it highlights how bad the situation is just across our border, adding Niagara and Erie counties have over 6,000 detected cases.
He notes it also shows there is a need to keep restrictions in place at the border.
The agreement to keep the Canada-U.S. border closed expires tomorrow.