COVID-19 in Sudbury & districts: Your weekly update July 22, 2021

Correction notice: The following sentence was removed as it was not accurate.

No new cases screened positive for a COVID-19 variant of concern.

Reporting period: Thursday, July 15, 2021, to Wednesday, July 21, 2021.

July 22, 2021 — The following is a summary of how the status of COVID-19 has changed in Public Health Sudbury & Districts’ service area over the last seven days up to end of day July 21, 2021: 4 new cases were reported and 1 case was resolved. To date, 3 of the 4 cases had a mutation profile that is commonly associated with the Delta variant of concern. There were no COVID-related deaths nor active outbreaks this week. At end of day July 21, 2021, there were 4 active cases in our service area and no active outbreaks. The cases were self-isolating. There were no local cases in hospital.

Since the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic, there have been a total of 2 176 local cases of which 2 172 are resolved, and 31 people have died in our service area. Nine-hundred and eighty-eight (988) have screened positive for a COVID-19 variant of concern (VOC).

Trends in the past seven days

• Of the 4 new cases in our service area, 3 were close contacts of confirmed cases. This means that Public Health identified how these people were exposed to COVID-19 and was able to take quick action to prevent further spread. One (1) case was travel-related. No cases were linked to an outbreak.
• Three (3) cases reported this week reside in Greater Sudbury, while 1 case resides in Sudbury North. There were no cases among residents of Sudbury East, Sudbury West or Manitoulin District in the past 7 days.  (Note: for information on the definition of these geographic regions, please refer to the daily COVID-19 case update at phsd.ca/COVID-19/data)
• Between July 15 and July 21, public health identified 11 people as having had high-risk close contact with a case of COVID-19. This represents and average of 2.8 high-risk close contacts per local case reported in the past 7 days, compared to 2.0 high-risk close contacts per case reported last week. Public Health follows up directly and regularly with every high-risk close contact to monitor them for symptoms, ensure they are self-isolating, and make recommendations for testing according to provincial guidance.
• The seven-day incidence rate was 2.0 new cases per 100 000 population, compared to 0.5 cases per 100 000 in the previous 7 days.
• The percent positivity was 0.43% for the period of July 14 to July 20, (compared to 0.25% for the previous 7 days).
• For the period of July 14 to July 20, the effective reproductive number (Rt) was 1.5 for Northern Ontario, and 1.0 for Ontario overall.

Vaccination Program update

NEW: Vaccination coverage rates are now being reported for the population 12+ instead of 18+.

• To date, a total of 255 547 doses of COVID-19 vaccinations have been administered to residents in Sudbury and districts. Thus far, 139 922 people have received their first dose of vaccine, and 115 625 people have been fully vaccinated (current as of 4 p.m. July 21, 2021). Note, this includes vaccines administered by Public Health, First Nation and Indigenous communities, primary care partners, and pharmacies.
• Over the last seven days up to end of day July 21, 2021, a total of 11 681 vaccine doses were administered.
• Overall, 79.7% of Sudbury and districts residents aged 12+ have received their first dose of a vaccine, compared to 79.3% for all Ontario residents aged 12+.
• Second doses have been received by 65.8% of those aged 12+ in Sudbury and districts compared to 63.5% of Ontarians of same age.

The following is a depiction of vaccinations received by age for individuals 12+ in Sudbury and districts.

*Rates are now based on 2020 population projections from the Ministry of Finance (2018) to match provincial coverage calculations.

Stay COVID-safe

• The path forward out of Step 3 of Ontario’s Roadmap to Reopen requires low case counts and high two-dose vaccination rates. To ensure we all enjoy a COVID-safe summer please continue to follow personal protective measures and get vaccinated.
• The pandemic has presented challenges for us all. If you are concerned that a friend might be struggling with their mental health, try asking: “You’ve seemed really down the past few days. Is there anything you want to talk about?”. Check out Be There’s 5 Golden Rules (bethere.org) to learn more about supporting a friend.
• Shrink your wait time! Get fully vaccinated before your next outing, visit with a friend, or your next trip to camp! With the mRNA vaccines being interchangeable, you don’t have to wait for your original vaccine product to be available before getting your second dose. Visit a walk-in clinic, pop-up clinic, or mobile clinic today. Or check with your pharmacy or doctor’s office. For more information visit our COVID-19 vaccination clinic page at ca/COVID-19/vaccine-clinics.
• Take advantage of the summer weather and outdoor opportunities for your COVID-safe summer adventures. Safer summer adventures include taking advantage of outdoor spaces while following personal protective measures and avoiding the three C’s: close contact with others, closed spaces, and crowded places.

What’s new

• Public Health Sudbury & Districts launching area-wide challenge for high vaccination rates and low COVID-19 case counts. Public Health is aiming for a target of 90% of those 12 and older to be fully vaccinated. For more information, see the July 16 news release on phsd.ca.
• Over the coming weeks, Public Health will notify clients of the cancellation for their original 112-day, automatically-scheduled second dose appointment on the provincial online booking system. This notice will be by email and robocall. Individuals must book their second dose appointment after receiving their first dose—it cannot be done before getting your first dose. For more information, see the July 16 news release on phsd.ca.
• A reminder, Youth aged 12-17 are eligible to attend a mobile, pop-up, or walk-in vaccine clinic if their first dose was more than 21 days ago (Pfizer-BioNTech). Adults aged 18 or older can attend a mobile, pop-up, or walk-in vaccine clinic if their first dose was more than 21 days ago (Pfizer-BioNTech) or 28 days (Moderna).
• Starting Friday, July 23, Public Health will only report COVID-19 case data Monday through Friday (excluding statutory holidays). We will also continue to post a detailed epidemiology summary on Monday that includes information about cases over time, case characteristics, probable exposures, case outcomes, testing, and outbreaks in facilities.

Message from Dr. Penny Sutcliffe, Medical Officer of Health

This pandemic has been full of “firsts” on so many fronts, and we continue to learn and adapt. For example, we are becoming accustomed to following regular, protective behaviours, like wearing masks. These now normalized COVID-safe behaviours and our rapid response to the pandemic have carried us through, but not without sacrifice and loss. Reflecting on the progress we have made to date on the vaccination program, I am hopeful for a future that does not require the use of closures and reductions in services. This pandemic has been very hard—on everyone. We are all optimistically looking to recover and move on. However, as we begin to reopen, there is a real risk that cases of COVID-19 will increase into the fall. Rolling up our sleeves and choosing to get vaccinated is one of the most important ways we can continue towards putting this pandemic in our rear-view mirror.

Regular updates

Visit phsd.ca/COVID-19/data for regular updates about COVID-19 testing, confirmed cases, as well as outbreaks and potential exposures in Greater Sudbury, the Sudbury District, and the Manitoulin District. In addition, a detailed epidemiology summary is posted on Monday that includes information about cases over time, case characteristics, probable exposures, case outcomes, testing, and outbreaks in facilities.

For more information or if you have questions, please visit phsd.ca/COVID-19 or call Public Health Sudbury & Districts at 705.522.9200 (toll-free 1.866.522.9200).