‘SAFE TO ASSUME UK VARIANT IN MUSKOKA,’ SAYS GARDNER
Mark Clairmont | MuskokaTODAY.com
SIMCOE-MUSKOKA — Is this the beginning of the end?
Please let it be.
A year after the first case of COVID, the health unit is reporting just 29 new cases Tuesday, Jan. 26.
None in Muskoka.
Though the Town of Gravenhurst is reporting today a case among its staff, who has gone into quarantine.
But don’t bet on celebrating a second anniversary virus-free — even though these are the lowest numbers in months, including just 61 cases to start this week’s counting for Saturday, Sunday and Monday.
Not with a third possible location for the UK variant waiting confirmation.
And not with 131 deaths and 105 of them from outbreaks — almost half of them (42 per cent) from the UK variant at Roberta Place in Barrie.
Dr. Charles Gardner agreed the outbreak may just be the “tip of the iceberg.”
Also, lest you think of letting your guard — or mask — down, be reminded that 4 more people died since yesterday’s accounting and 2 more were hospitalized.
The new cases date back to a first episode date of Jan. 20.
There were also just 10 cases out of Barrie — only one of them from an outbreak after a dark week at Roberta Place involving the UK variant at Roberta Place and now officially at the Bradford Valley Community Care LTC home.
Last week there were 440 cases regionally, the week before 448.
Dr. Charles Gardner, medical officer of health for the Simcoe Muskoka District Health Unit, says he’d like to be “wrong” about being optimistic that Jan. 26, 2022 will be a day of celebration.
He’s worried the new variants popping up and killing the local population will get worse before it gets better.
He said in a media briefing this afternoon that the vaccines will considerably improve people’s chances of living.
But with some numbers slightly down, the overall trajectory is still upwards.
He said of 33 recent deaths at Roberta Place 24 were among residents 80 years and older.
And of the 35 people in hospital — aged 30s to 90s — 25 are regional residents and 10 have been transferred in for treatment.
Four are in ICU.
Gardner said just under 5,000 LTC staff had received the first Pfizer vaccine (500 alone last week). And 9,500 had gotten the second doses, which provides 95 per cent protection from COVID.
Talking about Roberta Place, Gardner said resident cases had risen since his last Tuesday’s report to 127 from 65. And to 82 staff (56 per cent of workers) from 56 the week before. That includes 3 external health partners and 3 community/family caregivers (1 of who died).
He also noted that Hospice Simcoe is helping with the outbreak.
Gardner addressed news that Roberta Place had been cited in a provincial inspection recently of not containing the UK outbreak.
He sympathized with the “extraordinary challenge” staff and management there who he said tried to follow the protocols of setting up cohorts that group cases and staff together.
He said he “agrees it didn’t happen and needed to.”
He said a third of the residents there have died, though staff cases of COVID are down.
Another concern of Gardner’s is the fallout figures from Roberta Place as cases migrate in to the community through household spread.
There have been 250 cases tied to Roberta Place, which operates privately-run LTC and retirement facilities.
On the topic of public vs. privately-run health care facilities, Gardner said a paper during the first wave of the pandemic in the Canadian Medical Association Journal looked at the drivers of the mortalities and he said he agreed that it is “important to look at the potential for change” in that regard.
And on the topic of isolating the area around Barrie where a prevalence of cases have been found, he said he has “long advocated” for more restrictions.
But he realizes that would be “unpopular” and difficult to do logistically.
He did say today that the City of Barrie is cooperating and that its police service will be doing more enforcement around staying at home.
Again on the UK variant, he said it could “undermine” efforts at “herd immunity” to “break the transmission chain.”
But as the “epicentre” of the UK variant now, he said Simcoe Muskoka has the “ear of the province” and could take a lead role in fighting the variant.
NOTES:
Gardner said with one staff case each now at The Pines in Bracebridge and Muskoka Shores in Gravenhurst, that staff at each facility had been vaccinated — 95 per cent at the The Pines and 85 per cent at Muskoka Shores.
IN OTHER COVID NEWS:
- Toronto, meanwhile, had 677 cases, Peel 320 and York 144.
- Provincial numbers though improving, however, are a little less encouraging at 1,740 and still a high number of 63 deaths.
- Ontario is reporting 10 fewer LTC homes in outbreak, for a total of 246.
- Since the pandemic began, 11 staff members in Ontario’s long-term care homes have died due to the virus, according to the province.
- There are 71 more active cases of positive residents than the previous day for a total of 14,134.
- Additionally, there are 53 more staff members with an active case, for a total of 5,695.
- Additionally, there are 53 more staff members with an active case, for a total of 5,695.
- Since the pandemic began, 11 staff members in Ontario’s long-term care homes have died due to the virus, according to the province.
- Quebec, once again, provided a bit more optimism with 1,166 cases, but again 57 deaths.
- Manitoba reported under 100 cases at 94 and 5 deaths.
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