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Two new COVID cases today, both in Parry Sound

Today's report also includes 1,090 recoveries, 17 deaths, and 37 hospitalizations
Erika Engel, Jeff Turl and Maija Hoggett
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The North Bay Parry Sound Health Unit reports two new cases in its update this afternoon. Both of those are in Parry Sound.

There are now seven active cases, four in Parry Sound and three in Nipissing.

It brings to 267 the total number of cases.

View information on confirmed cases related to the outbreak at Skyline-Lancelot Apartments.

The Timiskaming Health Unit reports two active cases.

The Sudbury Health Unit reports 112 active cases, 15 more than yesterday.

The Simcoe-Muskoka Health Unit reports 431 active cases.

In northern Ontario, the breakdown of Public Health Ontario data is:

  • North Bay Parry Sound District Health Unit: 263 cases, rate of 202.7 per 100,000 people. The health unit has reported 265 cases. There are five known active cases. There are two confirmed cases of the United Kingdom (B.1.1.7) variant, and 14 confirmed cases of the South African (B.1.351) variant of concern. The shutdown and stay-at-home order are still in effect in the region until at least March 8.
  • Timiskaming Health Unit: 94 cases, rate of 287.6 per 100,000 people. The health unit has reported 95 cases. There are two known active cases. There is one confirmed case of the South African (B.1.351) variant of concern. The region is in the green - prevent zone.
  • Public Health Sudbury and Districts: 677 cases, rate of 340.2 per 100,000 people. The health unit has reported 680 cases. There are 98 known active cases. There are three confirmed variants of concern (VOC) cases, both are the UK (B.1.1.7) strain. The region is in the orange - restrict zone.
  • Algoma Public Health: 199 cases, rate of 173.9 per 100,000 people. There are five known active cases. The region is in the yellow - protect zone.
  • Porcupine Health Unit: 341 cases, rate of 408.7 per 100,000 people. There are 15 known active cases. The region is in the orange - restrict zone.
  • Northwestern Health Unit: 477 cases, rate of 544.1 per 100,000 people. The health unit has reported 480 confirmed cases. There are 41 known active cases. There is one confirmed case of the UK (B.1.1.7) variant. The region is in the yellow - protect zone.
  • Thunder Bay District Health Unit: 1,709 cases, rate of 1,139.6 per 100,000 people.  The health unit has reported 1,708 cases, There are 374 known active cases. The region is in the grey - lockdown level.

Public Health Ontario has reported 958 new cases of COVID-19 today (March 3).

Today's report includes 17 new deaths, of which, two were long-term care residents.

The deaths reported today include three people between 40 and 59 years old, seven people between 60 and 79 years old, and seven people aged 80 or older.

The province has reported 37 new hospitalizations since yesterday, and three new admissions of COVID-19 patients to intensive care units.

The March 3 update provided by the province's public health agency also reported the following data:

  • 1,090 recoveries
  • 10,397 active cases, which is down from 10,546 yesterday
  • 668 people are currently hospitalized with COVID-19 in Ontario, down from 677 reported yesterday. 
  • There are 274 COVID patients in intensive care units (down from 284) and 188 COVID patients on ventilators (down from 189 yesterday)
  • The province reported 52,613 tests were processed yesterday resulting in a 2.4 per cent positivity rate.
  • Another 43,139 tests are still under investigation and/or being processed. To date, 11.1 million tests have been completed.
  • Of the 958 new cases reported today, 249 are from Toronto, 164 cases are from Peel, 92 are from York Region, and 18 are from Simcoe-Muskoka
  • There are 88 active outbreaks at long-term care homes, 54 at retirement homes, and 28 at hospitals. 
  • The new cases reported today include 175 individuals aged 19 and under, 370 people between 20 and 39 years old, 256 people between 40 and 59 years old, 129 people between 60 and 79 years old, and 29 people aged 80 and over.

Variants of concern

  • The province has reported 552 lab-confirmed cases of the UK variant strain of COVID-19 (B.1.1.7). 
  • The province has reported 27 cases of B.1.351 (also known as the South African variant).
  • The province has reported 3 cases of P.1, which is the variant strain that originated in Brazil. 
  • According to Public Health Ontario, there are delays between specimen collection and the testing required to confirm a variant of concern. As such, the reports can change and can differ from past case counts publicly reported.

Vaccines

  • There were 27,398 doses of vaccines against COVID-19 administered on March 2, which is up from 22,326 administered on Mar. 1. 
  • As of 8 p.m. on March 2, the province reported 754,419 doses of vaccine against COVID-19 have been administered.
  • In total, 266,710 people have been fully vaccinated with two doses of vaccine.

Public Health Ontario has confirmed 303,763 cases of COVID-19 since the start of the pandemic, and reported 286,352 recoveries and 7,014 deaths, of which 3,867 were individuals living in long-term care homes.

The cumulative average incidence rate in the province is 2,043.6 cases per 100,000 people in Ontario.

The weekly incidence rate in Ontario is 50.9 cases per 100,000 people, which is up by 1.6 per cent from last week (Feb. 15-21). 

The Simcoe Muskoka District Health Unit reported 32 new cases yesterday.

There are currently 468 active, lab-confirmed cases in the region, most of which are in Simcoe County. Eighteen people are currently hospitalized. 

There have been 191 confirmed instances of the B.1.1.7 variant strain that originated in the UK in cases reported in Simcoe County and Muskoka. Another 352 cases in the region have screened positive for variant strains.

Since the start of the pandemic, that health unit has confirmed 6,525 cases of COVID-19 with 5,816 of those cases recovered and 189 cases ending in death. 

The weekly incidence rate for Simcoe-Muskoka region is 41.2 cases per 100,000 people, which is down by 13.3 per cent compared to 47.5 cases per 100,000 people for the week of Feb. 15 to 21.

Meanwhile, the North Bay Parry Sound District Health Unit is reminding you of the Ontario Ministry of Health’s updated guidelines for self-isolation, even if you only have one symptom of COVID-19. The updates are in response to the evolving situation related to COVID-19 Variants of Concern (VOCs) across the province.

The provincial guidelines now require that symptomatic individuals isolate at home until:

•       they receive a negative COVID-19 test result OR

•       they receive an alternative diagnosis by a health care professional OR

•       it has been 10 days since their symptom onset and they are feeling better.

When a symptomatic individual is isolating, everyone else in the household, both adults and children, are required to stay home, even if the other members of the home do not have symptoms of COVID-19. If possible, it is recommended that the symptomatic individual self-isolate away from other household members. If the symptomatic individual chooses not to be tested for COVID-19, all household contacts must self-isolate for 14 days from their last contact with the individual during their isolation period.

Example, if you do not have symptoms of COVID-19 but are self-isolating with a symptomatic individual who chooses to not be tested, you will have to isolate an additional 14-days after their 10-day isolation period.

“These enhanced self-isolation requirements are a result of the increasing number of VOC cases in Ontario and we have seen a large number in our district,” notes Dr. Jim Chirico, Medical Officer of Health. “VOCs are highly contagious; therefore, tightening these isolation measures helps to reduce the impact on our hospitals and health care system.”

If you think you may have COVID-19 symptoms or have been in close contact with someone who has tested positive, first self-isolate and then use Ontario's Self-Assessment Tool to see if you need to seek testing or further care. If you need further assistance, call your health care provider or the Health Unit at 1-800-563-2808. If you have severe symptoms, such as difficulty breathing, you should call 911 and mention your symptoms.

Visit Ontario’s website to learn more about how the province continues to protect Ontarians from COVID-19.