The Renfrew County and District Health Unit (RCDHU) in conjunction with Madawaska Valley and Brudenell, Lyndoch and Raglan townships are declaring a COVID-19 community outbreak in the two local municipalities.

The health unit confirmed Friday afternoon that over the past week, three students from Madawaska Valley District High School in Barry’s Bay, that serves students from the Townships of Brudenell, Lyndoch and Raglan, Killaloe, Hagarty and Richards, North Algona Wilberforce, Madawaska Valley and South Algonquin, have positive laboratory-confirmed cases of COVID-19.
“All three of the confirmed cases attended the same social gathering outside of the school day,” Dr. Robert Cushman, Acting Medical Officer of Health, reported. “This is a result of community transmission and disregard for public health guidelines to restrict social groupings to a minimum size.”
Dr. Cushman said further testing and investigation will be conducted which could lead to more cases over the coming days.
“We are all responsible for the health and well being of our community, family and friends,” Madawaska Valley Mayor Kim Love added. “Parents need to make sure their children understand this and are following all the guidelines of Public Health. Just because you can do something, doesn’t make it a good idea.”

Dr. Cushman irged parents and guardians to have the difficult discussions with their children about COVID-19 and the associated dangers that come with not only contracting but spreading the virus.
“As role models, we must stress that it is not necessarily about how the virus will affect them, it is about how it could affect those they bring it home to – a parent, grandparent, family member or friend,” he said.