WELLINGTON COUNTY -- A young girl from Wellington County under the age of 10 who tested positive for COVID-19 died on Monday, Jan. 3.
Officials with Wellington-Dufferin-Guelph confirmed this was the first death of a child with the disease in the region.
“No words are sufficient to comfort those grieving this terrible loss. In this tragic moment, I offer my deepest condolences on behalf of everyone at Public Health to the family,” said Dr. Nicola Mercer, medical officer of health for Wellington Dufferin Guelph Public Health in a statement to CTV News. "Since the pandemic began, more than 100 people in Wellington-Dufferin-Guelph have died from COVID-19, each one of them a profound and permanent loss to those who loved them and to the fabric of our community.”
Officials with the health unit said the child was COVID-19 positive at the time of her death.
They noted no further information on the cause of death is available at this time.
During the COVID-19 update with the province’s chief medical officer of health, Dr. Kieran Moore was asked about this latest death and said he was not informed yet about the child.
“I am taken aback, I’m so sorry,” said Dr. Moore during the virtual press conference. “I wasn’t aware of this death in that area of the province. My heart goes out to the family and to the friends. And I hope we give the family privacy to grieve.”
Dr. Moore said that deaths of children are often investigated by the province’s coroner.
“We want to learn as a system if there was any failings in the healthcare system to provide care. Otherwise, I want to ensure all Ontarians that we have some of the world’s best pediatrician, infectious disease experts who are able to provide care to children.”
“We’ve only got a handful of children in intensive care units at present,” Dr. Moore added.
The region has reported 14,327 COVID-19 cases to date, including 11,724 recoveries and 129 deaths. There are at least 2,474 active cases in the area.
