Ontario
Ontario is reporting the most patients in hospital with COVID-19 since the start of the pandemic as the province continues to deal with the Omicron wave.
On Friday, the province said there were a record 2,472 people in hospital wards with COVID-19 (up by 193 from the previous day) with 338 patients in intensive care units (up by 19).
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This is the highest number of patients in hospital ever recorded, edging out the previous high of 2,360 reported on April 20, 2021 amid the third wave. ICU patients peaked 10 days later at 900.
The province also reported 11,899 new COVID cases on Friday.
Further information, including the vaccination status of hospitalized individuals, can be found in this Global News story.
Elgin and Oxford
Southwestern Public Health reported 17 patients in hospital with COVID-19, up from 12 the day before. Of those, three are in ICU, down from four on Thursday.
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Test positivity data has been updated, with 24.8 per cent of tests in SWPH coming back positive during the week of Dec. 26, up from 11.3 per cent the week of Dec. 19 and 6.8 per cent the week of Dec. 12.
No deaths were reported Friday but four were reported this week. SWPH reported the deaths of a woman in her 80s from Elgin County on Thursday, a man in his 80s from Oxford County and a woman in her 50s from St. Thomas on Wednesday, and a man in his 70s from Elgin County on Tuesday.
As for cases, SWPH is reporting:
8,159 cases (an increase of 194)
1,543 active cases (an increase of 108)
6,499 resolved cases (an increase of 86; note that SWPH clears all cases after 10 days regardless of outcome)
117 deaths (unchanged)
Read more: Plenty of open COVID-19 vaccination appointments in Waterloo Region for those aged 5 to 11
There are active outbreaks at the following long-term homes, retirement homes and hospitals:
Valleyview Nursing Home, St. Thomas, declared Dec. 23 and involving 10 resident cases and 17 staff cases
Woodingford Lodge, Woodstock, declared Dec. 28 and involving seven resident cases and eight staff cases
Chartwell Oxford Gardens, Woodstock, declared Dec. 30 and involving eight resident cases and two staff cases
Caressant Care Bonnie Place Retirement Home, St. Thomas, declared Dec. 30 and involving nine resident cases and two staff cases
Caressant Care Bonnie Place Nursing Home, St. Thomas, declared Dec. 30 and involving one resident case and six staff cases
Elgin Manor, St. Thomas, declared Dec. 31 and involving four resident cases and two staff cases
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 six staff cases
Secord Trails, Ingersoll, declared Jan. 2 and involving 12 resident cases and two staff cases
Chartwell Aylmer, Aylmer, declared Jan. 2 and involving one resident case and five staff cases
Alexandra Hospital, Ingersoll, declared Jan. 3 and involving nine resident cases
Caressant Care Nursing Home – Woodstock, declared Jan. 3 and involving one resident case and six staff cases
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.
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As of Jan. 6, 76.5 per cent of those aged five and older in the region had received two doses of the vaccine, while 81.5 per cent have had at least one dose.
A walk-in vaccination clinic will be held on Jan. 13 in Straffordville from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. at Straffordville Community Centre at 56169 Heritage Line.
Further 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
Global News is awaiting data from Huron Perth Public Health for Friday.
On Thursday, HPPH reported six people were in hospital with COVID-19, down from seven as of Wednesday.
Of those, four were still considered to be active cases, unchanged from the day before.
The number of health-care workers with active COVID-19 infections climbed to 21, up from 15 on Wednesday.
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In total, HPPH reported on Thursday that there were:
4,057 total cases (an increase of 106)
1,027 active cases (an increase of 83)
2,954 recoveries (an increase of 22)
76 deaths to date (an increase of one)
Details about the new death were not available.
There are 13 active outbreaks reported by HPPH, including eight 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
Ritz Lutheran Villa, West Perth, declared Jan. 5 and involving two staff cases
Wildwood Care Centre, St. Marys, declared Dec. 27 and involving three staff cases
Exeter Villa, South Huron, declared Jan. 2 and involving four resident cases and one staff case
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 six outbreaks at congregate living settings but no further details were provided.
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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.
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.
Severe illness not expected to rise while COVID-19 cases skyrocket due to Omicron: Tam
Information on how and where to get a vaccine can be found on the health unit’s website.
Sarnia and Lambton
Bluewater Health reported 29 patients in hospital with confirmed COVID-19, up from 24 on Thursday. Lambton Public Health is reporting the average ICU occupancy was at 80 per cent for the week of Dec. 26, the most recent data available.
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The test positivity rate was 31.2 per cent for the week of Dec. 26, up from 6.8 per cent for the week of Dec. 12. LPH did not provide data for the week of Dec. 19.
On Friday, Lambton Public Health reported:
6,699 total cases (an increase of 158)
1,368 active cases (an increase of 42)
5,245 resolved cases (an increase of 114)
86 deaths to date (an increase of two)
LPH reported nine active outbreaks as of Friday, all at long-term care, retirement or community living homes:
Community Living Sarnia-Lambton, declared Jan. 6 and involving fewer than five resident cases and fewer than five staff/caregiver cases
Watford Quality Care in Watford, declared Jan. 5 and involving fewer than five resident cases and fewer than five staff cases
Trillium Villa in Sarnia, declared Jan. 3 and involving 14 residents and 10 staff/caregivers
Marshall Gowland Manor in Sarnia, declared Jan. 1 and involving fewer than five residents and nine staff/caregivers
Afton Park Place in Sarnia, declared Dec. 31 and involving fewer than five residents and nine staff/caregivers
Sumac Lodge in Sarnia, declared Dec. 31 and involving 12 resident cases and eight cases among staff/caregivers
Fiddick’s Nursing Home in Petrolia, declared Dec. 30 and involving fewer than five residents and seven 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
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.
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Eighty-one per cent of area residents age five and older have had at least one dose of vaccine while 76 per cent have had two doses. Twenty-six per cent have had a third dose, health unit data shows. Note that those under 18 are not currently eligible for a third dose.
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
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