Health unit investigating church funeral

Southwestern Public Health has announced it is conducting COVID-19 “contact tracing” for everyone who attended a recent funeral at a church.

Southwestern’s post on its Facebook page does not name the church or say where it is. However, a copy of a “High priority health alert” sent out by the health unit has been circulating on social media, stating the funeral was at “Old Colony Church” in Aylmer.

The health unit, in its post, said an Aylmer woman in her 60s died at Tillsonburg District Memorial Hospital on Wednesday, July 1, and subsequent to her death, she tested positive for COVID-19.

Southwestern Public Health was tracing the contacts of all the persons, estimated at 50 to 70, who attended a subsequent service, the post said. Funeral attendees contacted by the health unit “will self-isolate for a period of 14 days to ensure they are symptom-free.”

The Aylmer woman who died was the only known case at this point. “It is not an outbreak.”

The health unit noted that the online “health alert” that was circulating had been sent to area physicians and hopsitals, and was never posted on social media. The information in it was accurate.