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“The problem with this strain is that it can cause what we call reinfection. This means that people who have had COVID in the past can get infected again.”
Samples for testing for COVID-19 are seen in a laboratory. Photo by Darryl Dyck/The Canadian Press/File
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Like much of Ontario, Sudbury is already feeling the effects of new sub-variants fueling a seventh wave of COVID-19, according to Public Health Sudbury and Districts.
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“In our coverage area, the cases of COVID that are being reported, half of them are variant BA.5,” said Justine Mansourian, a public health nurse in the organization’s health protection division.
Along with another sub-variant called BA.4, BA.5 is a mutation of the Omicron variant that first appeared late last year. Public health officials in Ontario have expressed concern that new subtypes are beginning to dominate COVID transmission, with BA.5 accounting for 50 percent of new cases in the province and BA.4 40 percent.
According to Mansourian, public health has noticed similar trends in the Sudbury-Manitoulin region.
“The problem with this strain is that it can cause what we call reinfection,” she said. “This means that people who have had COVID in the past can become infected again. It can also cause breakthrough infections. This means infections in people who have been fully vaccinated.”
It is difficult to determine the exact number of cases of new variants, Mansourian said, because streamlined testing means infections are not being reported as they used to be.
“If there are cases of COVID in the community, we won’t be informed about all of them,” she said. “If people do develop symptoms, most of them are antigen tests and at home, and they’re not always reported to public health.”
Instead, public health assesses the viral load in sewage by tracking hospitalization rates, the number of intensive care unit cases and outbreaks in the city.
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While Mansourian said there is concern about the rapid spread of variants, members of the public are encouraged to continue the same precautions they have been practicing since the pandemic began more than two years ago.
“Although some of the provincial mandates have been lifted, from a public health perspective, we will still be encouraging people and asking them to cover up as much as possible when they are in public, especially if they are in an indoor public place and if this place is overcrowded,” she said. “(With the new variants) it’s really important to be proactive and take those precautions.”
She also encourages the public to continue to practice hand hygiene and self-examination daily. If you have any symptoms, stay home and get tested, she said. Home rapid antigen test kits are currently available free of charge in several supermarkets and pharmacies in the city.
COVID NUMBERS FOR THIS WEEK
Public Health reported 105 active cases of COVID-19 in the region on Monday.
Since the last Public Health report on Friday, 46 new cases have been reported, while 53 cases have been resolved since then.
Since the start of the pandemic in March 2020, a total of 16,435 cases of the virus have been identified in the Sudbury-Manitoulin region.
No new COVID-related deaths have been reported since Friday, keeping the total steady at 154 since the pandemic began.
There are currently 20 Sudbury-area patients in hospital with confirmed cases of COVID-19, compared to 21 reported on Friday. Of those patients, nine were admitted because of the virus, and the remaining 11 were admitted for other reasons.
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There is currently one person in the intensive care unit with a confirmed case of the virus who was admitted to intensive care for reasons other than COVID.
Hospital is investigating 14 patients for potential COVID-19 infection, down from 36 investigated late last week
There are four active outbreaks of the virus in the region this week.
Outbreaks include Floor 8 North at Health Sciences North, the Sunnyside Unit at Villa St. Joseph’s and two separate outbreaks at Imagine Therapeutic Services Westmount and Val Therese respectively.
Additionally, the previously reported outbreak in the Manty area of Finlandia Village has been declared closed.
Since the vaccination effort began, 82 percent of the region’s population has received at least two vaccines or is fully vaccinated. Vaccination efforts continue this week. Clinics include:
Tuesday, July 12
Appointment and walk-in clinics: Freshwater Community Church (the old Mindemoya Mission Church), Mindemoya, Manitoulin Island; Food Basics, 1800 Lasalle Blvd., Greater Sudbury (mobile bus clinic); Southridge Mall, Greater Sudbury.
Wednesday, July 13
Appointment and Admission Clinics: Southridge Mall; M’Chigeeng Community Complex, Manitoulin Island (mobile bus clinic).
Thursday, July 14
Appointment only clinics: Walden Kinsmen Hall, 15 Kin Street, Lively.
Enrollment and Reception Clinics: Coniston Public Library; Sagamok Multi-Education Center (mobile bus clinic).
Friday, July 15
Appointment and drop-in clinics: Wanup General Store, Greater Sudbury (mobile bus clinic).
Appointment only clinics: Centennial Community Center and Arena, Hanmer.
Saturday, July 16
Appointment and Admission Clinics: Dr. Edgar Leclerc Community Center and Arena, Azilda; Sudbury Arena, Brady Street Rear Parking Lot (Mobile Bus Clinic).
The local journalism initiative is made possible by funding from the federal government.
mjensen@postmedia.com
Twitter: @mia_rjensen
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