APH reports 21 new cases of COVID-19

Algoma Public Health has reported that there are twenty-one (21) new cases of COVID-19, nineteen (19) – Sault Ste. Marie & Area, and two (2) in Elliot Lake & Area. Algoma Public Health is also recording another death related to COVID-19 in their Status of Cases Table. There are currently 251 active cases.

Algoma Public Health states “Although the Omicron variant has not yet been confirmed in Algoma, a number of current exposures are suspected and presumed to be due to this variant of concern, due to initial lab screening results, a history of travel, or links to known Omicron exposures in other areas of the province.”

Algoma Public Health has also stated, “VOCs continue to circulate in Algoma. VOCs are concerning because, depending on what type of mutations are present, they may spread more aggressively, lead to more severe disease, or have reduced vaccine efficacy. Results from additional laboratory testing have detected the following VOCs in Algoma:

• B.1.1.7 (Alpha), first detected in the UK
• B.1.617.2 (Delta), first detected in India
• P.1 (Gamma), first detected in Brazil
• B.1.1.529 (Omicron), first detected in South Africa

Since July 2021 the predominant strain of COVID-19 present in Algoma has been the Delta Variant (B.1.617.2).”

Public Health Sudbury and Districts issued a media release that stated that “all previously reported cases that have screened positive for the COVID-19 Omicron variant and any newly reported cases that screen positive are now presumed to be Omicron.” Forty-nine (49) cases in the Sudbury District have tested positive for the Omicron variant.

	Current	Previous	Change from previous report
Confirmed cases	1,718	1,697	21
Active cases	251	248	3
Currently hospitalized	5	5	0
Resolved	1,467	1,449	18
Deceased	19	18	1
Tested	210,592	209,930	662

 

Type of Exposure	Current	Previous	Change from previous report
Close contact of a confirmed case	884	879	5
Outbreak related	193	193	0
Under Investigation	60	62	-2
Unknown Source of Infection	581	563	18

 

Algoma Region	Current	Previous	Change from previous report	Evidence of Community Spread	Recent Cases
Central & East Algoma	131	131	0	Yes	Yes
Elliot Lake & Area	39	37	2	Yes	Yes
North Algoma	17	17	0	Yes	No
Sault Ste. Marie & Area	1,531	1,512	19	Yes	Yes

 

Updated statistics are from December 23, 2021, 4:00 PM