Federal Updates: https://www.canada.ca/en/public-health/services/diseases/coronavirus-disease-covid-19.html
Provincial Updates: https://www.ontario.ca/page/2019-novel-coronavirus
Renfrew County District Health Unit: https://www.rcdhu.com/novel-coronavirus-covid-19-2/
Town of Renfrew Media Releases:
Library Update: https://renfrew.ca/library-welcome.cfm
With the current news about Novel Coronavirus (COVID-19), as CEO/Chief Librarian of Renfrew Public Library, I want to assure community members that RPL is taking a proactive approach to COVID-19. Our aim is to provide links for the public which focus on local responses, as well as accurate, up-to-date, reliable information about the virus. Our goal is to ensure people have access to information about:
As the situation evolves, we will adapt our services as needed and work to minimize the impact of inaccurate information. We will monitor closely any action taken by the federal and provincial levels of government, as well as the County of Renfrew and the Town of Renfrew regarding the situation and adjust our services accordingly.
Working together we can help to ensure that COVID-19 does not lead to unnecessary fear or division in our community. RPL's priority is to help keep the public and our staff safe, healthy and informed.
Kelly Thompson
Chief Librarian / CEO
Government Resources
What is COVID-19?
Coronaviruses are a large family of viruses. They can cause diseases ranging from the common cold to more severe diseases such as Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome (SARS) and Middle East Respiratory Syndrome (MERS-CoV). Some transmit easily from person to person while others do not. COVID-19 is a new disease that has not been previously identified in humans.
China determined that a novel coronavirus (referred to as COVID-19) is responsible for the outbreak of pneumonia in Wuhan. Authorities in China and worldwide are conducting further investigations to better understand where the disease came from, how it is spread and the clinical severity of illness in humans.
Source: Coronavirus disease (COVID-19): Frequently asked questions (FAQ)
Daily Updates
The main Ontario government webpage on COVID-19, including updates on the current situation and current affected areas.
Informational Resources
Factsheets and infographics, Government of Canada
For communities, schools and daycares, and health professionals. Government of Canada.
Government of Canada.
Public Health Ontario.
The Ministry of Health has developed an information sheet about the 2019 novel coronavirus (COVID-19) to inform Ontarians about the virus, how they can protect themselves and what to do if they think they have contracted the 2019 novel coronavirus. The information sheet is available in multiple languages.
Ministry of Health, Ontario government.
Keyword search: COVID-19, coronavirus
Government of Canada.
MedlinePlus, U.S. National Library of Medicine.
U.S. Center for Disease Control and Prevention.
World Health Organization.
Tracks cases globally.
Thank you to the Southern Ontario Library Service for compiling this list of resources.