COVID-19 in Sudbury & districts: Your weekly update June 17, 2021

Reporting period: Thursday, June 10, 2021, to Wednesday, June 16, 2021.

June 17, 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 June 16, 2021: 16 new cases, and 19 cases were resolved. There were no COVID-related deaths. Six (6) new cases screened positive for a COVID-19 variant of concern (VOC), which is 37.5% of the cases reported in this period. One (1) outbreak was active in the past week, in a workplace. At end of day June 16, 2021, there were 20 active cases in our service area, and 1 active outbreak. One (1) case was hospitalized, while the rest were self-isolating.

Since the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic, there have been a total of 2 126 local cases of which 2 106 are resolved, and 30 people have died in our service area. Nine-hundred and forty-six (946) have screened positive for a COVID-19 variant of concern (VOC).

Trends in the past seven days

• Of the 16 new cases in our service area, 13 were close contacts of confirmed cases, while 1 was linked to an outbreak. 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. No cases were travel-related. The source of exposure was unknown for 1 case, while another case remained under investigation.
• Seven (7) cases reside in Greater Sudbury, while 4 reside in Sudbury North and 5 reside in Sudbury West. There were no cases among residents of Sudbury East 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)
• Contact tracing information was available for all cases reported from June 10 to June 16. Through our investigation, we identified 73 people who had high-risk close contacts with these cases. That is an average of 5 high-risk close contacts per case, compared to an average of 6 contacts per cases reported last week for the previous 7 days. 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 8.0 new cases per 100 000 population, compared to 6.0 cases per 100,000 in the previous 7 days.
• The percent positivity was 1.01% for the period of June 8 to June 14, (compared to 0.90% for the previous 7 days).
• For the period of June 8 to June 14, the effective reproductive number (Rt) was 1.0 for Northern Ontario, and 0.8 for Ontario overall.

Vaccination Program Update

• To date, the COVID-19 Vaccination Program has administered a total of 159 696 doses to residents in Sudbury and districts. Thus far, 122 235 people have received their first dose of vaccine, and 37 461 people have been fully vaccinated (current as of 4 p.m. June 16, 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 June 16, 2021, a total of 15 896 vaccine doses have been administered.
• Overall, 74.6% of Sudbury and district residents aged 18+ have received their first dose of a vaccine, compared to 79.2% for all Ontario residents aged 18+.
• Second doses have been received by 22.9% of those aged 18+ in Sudbury and districts compared to 19.6% 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

• Do you need ideas on how to safely gather for this Father’s Day weekend?  As we prepare to celebrate fathers and father figures in our lives, plan an outdoor gathering like a BBQ and remember not to have more than 10 people. The safest option is to only celebrate with members of your household and connect remotely with others.
• Looking forward to outdoor dining? Step 1 of the Re-opening plan (Government of Ontario) includes outdoor dining with up to 4 people per table. Remember to be COVID-safe and dine with members of your household to reduce risk and wear a mask when you are not eating.
• Going shopping? As you wait to enter the store, remember to be COVID-safe and maintain physical distancing while wearing a mask. When shopping inside please continue to respect others and maintain physical distancing.
• We are living in extraordinary times that may be leading to increased feelings of stress, anxiety, and fear. These feelings are normal. Mindfulness has many benefits, including reducing stress and building resilience. Give mindfulness a try with these free guided meditations from Ten Percent Happier.
• Preparing on receiving your second dose of a COVID-19 vaccine to complete your vaccine series? For increased protection against COVID-19 including the delta variant, a second dose is needed. Learn more about your second dose options and eligibility for booking your second dose.

What’s new

• Public Health Sudbury & Districts is offering walk-in COVID-19 vaccine clinics this week. Anyone who is eligible to receive their first or second dose of vaccine can attend. For clinic details, visit ca/covid-19/vaccine-clinics.
• Additional first and second dose COVID-19 vaccine appointments are available this week for anyone who is eligible. These appointments are only available by calling our call centre. To book, please call 705.674.2299 (toll-free: 1.800.708.2505), between 8 a.m. and 8 p.m., seven days a week.
• The Ontario government accelerated second doses of the AstraZeneca COVID-19 Vaccine. Individuals who received the AstraZeneca COVID-19 vaccine for their first dose, have two options to discuss with their health care provider when considering their second dose. They can opt for a second dose of AstraZeneca or choose to receive an mRNA vaccine at an eight to 12 week interval. For more information, visit our COVID-19 frequently asked questions page at ca/covid-19-vaccine-faq.

Message from Dr. Penny Sutcliffe, Medical Officer of Health

With Father’s Day approaching this weekend, I hope you can safely connect with loved ones and spend quality time together. Consider getting your COVID-19 vaccine with your Dad (or a loved one) and help protect your community at the same time. I am very pleased of the success of our walk-in COVID-19 vaccine clinics this week. Being able to respond to the needs of our communities is very important to us and it is encouraging to see people lining up for the vaccine. With new clinics being added regularly and the addition of walk-in clinics, it has never been easier to get the vaccine. Please help spread the word to your friends and family who are eligible to receive the vaccine. With summer just around the corner, it is the perfect time to get your first or second dose, so we can have a safer summer and enjoy all the amenities our communities have to offer.

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 Mondays and Thursdays 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).