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Ontario reported 11,582 COVID cases on Wednesday, as hospitalizations continue to soar.
Ontario reported 2,081 people in hospital wards with COVID-19 (up by 791 from the previous day) with 288 patients in intensive care units (up by 22).
Last Wednesday, there were 726 hospitalizations with 190 in ICUs.
For comparison, during the pandemic’s third wave peak in April 2021 – the worst wave for hospitalizations thus far – the province saw almost 2,400 patients in hospital wards and as many as 900 patients in ICUs with COVID among a population that was vastly unvaccinated.
Ontario’s current fourth wave is approaching the third wave peak for hospitalizations, but is currently further behind in ICUs admissions.
In terms of vaccination status, for those in general hospital wards with COVID, 417 were unvaccinated, 108 were partially vaccinated and 1,073 were fully vaccinated. For patients in ICUs, 109 were unvaccinated while 14 were partially vaccinated and 86 were fully vaccinated.
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Elgin and Oxford
Southwestern Public Health reported 18 patients in hospital with COVID-19, up from 15 the day before. Of those, five are in ICU, unchanged from Tuesday.
SWPH reported two deaths on Wednesday, involving a man in his 80s from Oxford County and a woman in her 50s from St. Thomas. The health unit also reported the death of a man in his 70s from Elgin County on Tuesday.
As for cases, SWPH is reporting:
7,828 cases (an increase of 103)
1,379 active cases (increase of 22)
6,311 resolved cases (an increase of 79, note that SWPH clears all cases after 10 days regardless of outcome)
116 deaths (an increase of two)
There are active outbreaks at the following long-term homes, retirement homes and hospitals:
Valleyview Nursing Home, St. Thomas, declared Dec. 23 and involving nine resident cases and 13 staff cases
Woodingford Lodge, Woodstock, declared Dec. 28 and involving three resident cases and five staff cases
Chartwell Oxford Gardens, Woodstock, declared Dec. 30 and involving four resident cases
Caressant Care Bonnie Place Retirement Home, St. Thomas, declared Dec. 30 and involving two resident cases
Caressant Care Bonnie Place Nursing Home, St. Thomas, declared Dec. 30 and involving three staff cases
Elgin Manor, St. Thomas, declared Dec. 31 and involving four resident cases and one staff case
Beattie Manor Retirement Residence, Wardsville, declared Dec. 31 and involving one resident case
Extendicare, Port Stanley, declared Jan. 2 and involving two resident cases and three staff cases
Secord Trails, Ingersoll, declared Jan. 2 and involving seven resident cases
Chartwell Aylmer, Aylmer, declared Jan. 2 and involving four staff cases
Alexandra Hospital, Ingersoll, declared Jan. 3 and involving three resident cases
Caressant Care Nursing Home – Woodstock, declared Jan. 3 and involving one resident case and three staff cases
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There are currently no active outbreaks at local schools. More information on school cases can be found on the websites of the Thames Valley District School Board and the London District Catholic School Board.
Roughly 6.8 per cent of tests in the region were coming back positive as of the week of Dec. 12.
As of Jan. 4, 76.3 per cent of those aged five and older in the region had received two doses of the vaccine, while 81.3 per cent have had at least one dose.
Information on where and how to get vaccinated can be found on the health unit’s website.
The health unit encouraged people to join its Same Day Vaccination List, which offers any leftover doses due to cancellations or no-shows.
Huron and Perth
Huron Perth Public Health is reporting seven patients currently hospitalized with COVID-19, which includes cases where the infection has since resolved, down from eight on Tuesday. As of Wednesday, there were four active cases hospitalized, down from six Tuesday.
The number of health-care workers with active COVID-19 infections climbed to 15, up from 13 on Tuesday.
In total, HPPH reported:
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3,951 total cases (an increase of 61)
944 active cases (an increase of 19)
2,932 recoveries (an increase of 42)
75 deaths to date (unchanged)
There are 12 active outbreaks reported by HPPH, including seven at long-term care or retirement homes:
Hillside Manor, Perth East, declared Dec. 31 and involving two staff cases
Kingsway Lodge, St. Marys, declared Jan. 3 and involving two resident cases and two staff cases
Queensway Nursing home, Bluewater, declared Dec. 31 and involving one resident case and one staff case
Wildwood Care Centre, St. Marys, declared Dec. 27 and involving three staff cases
Exeter Villa, South Huron, declared Jan. 2 and involving one resident case and two staff cases
Maplewood Manor Retirement Home, Huron East, declared Dec. 30 and involving one resident case and one staff case
Seaforth Manor Retirement Home, Huron East, declared Jan. 2 and involving two staff cases
HPPH is reporting five outbreaks at congregate living settings but no further details were provided.
Data on school cases can be found on the websites of the Avon-Maitland District School Board and the Huron-Perth Catholic District School Board.
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As of Jan. 4, 82.9 per cent of residents aged five and older have had at least one COVID-19 vaccine dose while 78.0 per cent are fully vaccinated. Third-dose coverage stands at 31.0 per cent.
The region’s test positivity rate was 3.8 per cent for the week of Dec. 12. An updated figure is expected this week.
Information on how and where to get a vaccine can be found on the health unit’s website.
Ontario business struggling to survive amid COVID restrictions
Sarnia and Lambton
Bluewater Health reported 26 patients in hospital with confirmed COVID-19, down from 27 the day before.
On Tuesday, Lambton Public Health reported:
6,397 total cases (an increase of 105)
1,249 active cases (a decrease of 73)
5,064 resolved cases (an increase of 178)
84 deaths to date (unchanged)
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LPH reported seven active outbreaks as of Wednesday, all at long-term care or retirement homes:
Trillium Villa in Sarnia, declared Jan. 3 and involving fewer than five residents and fewer than five staff/caregivers
Marshall Gowland Manor in Sarnia, declared Jan. 1 and involving fewer than five residents and fewer than five staff/caregivers
Afton Park Place in Sarnia, declared Dec. 31 and involving fewer than five residents and fewer than five staff/caregivers
Sumac Lodge in Sarnia, declared Dec. 31 and involving nine resident cases and fewer than five cases among staff/caregivers
Fiddick’s Nursing Home in Petrolia, declared Dec. 30 and involving fewer than five residents and fewer than five staff/caregivers
Vision Nursing Home in Sarnia, declared Dec. 29 and involving fewer than five residents and fewer than five staff/caregivers
Rosewood Retirement Village in Sarnia, declared Dec. 26 and involving fewer than five residents and fewer than five staff/caregivers
The outbreak involving an unidentified workplace with two cases, declared Dec. 20., was listed as over as of Jan. 4.
All active cases at schools within the Lambton Kent District School Board can be found online, as can cases at schools within the St. Clair Catholic District School Board.
The test positivity rate was 6.8 per cent for the week of Dec. 12, the most recent data available, up from 3.6 per cent for the week of Dec. 5.
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Eighty-one per cent of area residents age five and older have had at least one dose while 76 per cent have had two doses. Twenty-two per cent have had a third dose, health unit data shows.
Residents can book and re-book COVID-19 vaccine appointments or find information on vaccine availability at pharmacies using the health unit’s registration page. People can also contact the vaccine call centre at 226-254-8222.
Those who are able to get vaccinated on short notice are encouraged to sign up for Lambton Public Health’s daily Vaccine Standby List.
— with files from Gabby Rodrigues
© 2022 Global News, a division of Corus Entertainment Inc.
