COVID-19 in Sudbury & districts: Your weekly update October 21, 2021

Reporting period: Thursday, October 14, 2021, to Wednesday, October 20, 2021.

October 21, 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 October 20, 2021: 83 new cases were reported and 62 cases were resolved. To date, 60 of the 83 cases had a mutation profile that is commonly associated with a COVID-19 variant of concern (VOC). Seven (7) COVID-19 outbreaks were active this week, including 3 in workplaces, and 1 each in a congregate living setting, a correctional facility, a public community setting and a private social gathering. There were no COVID-related deaths. At end of day October 20, 2021, there were 96 active cases in our service area and 7 active outbreaks. There were 3 local cases in hospital, and the rest were self-isolating.

Since the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic, there have been a total of 2 613 local cases of which 2 517 are resolved, and 31 people have died in our service area. One thousand, three hundred and twenty-one (1 321) were confirmed or presumed to be COVID-19 variants of concern (VOC).

Of the 521 local cases of COVID-19 reported since June 1, 2021, 118 cases (23%) have been among fully vaccinated individuals. There have been 403 cases (77%) in unvaccinated or partially-vaccinated residents (i.e., one-dose only). During that same period, there have been 12 local hospitalizations of which 10 cases (83%) were unvaccinated or partially vaccinated. Two (2) hospitalized cases (17%) were fully vaccinated.  Interpreting vaccine status data: please note that data on case counts by vaccination status are preliminary—and highly subject to change. Comparing cumulative numbers from week to week may lead to incorrect estimates of case counts by vaccination status for the previous 7 days.

Based on data from the last 14 days, the risk of contracting COVID-19 for unvaccinated residents of Sudbury and districts was 4.9 times the risk for fully vaccinated residents.

Recent Trends

• In the past 28 days, the overall incidence rate of COVID-19 in our area was 115.8 new cases per 100 000 population. Residents who were 20 to 29 years of age had the highest rate at 258.3 per 100 000 population. The rates among 0 to 19-year-olds (134.1 per 100 000) and 30 to 39-year-olds (209.3 per 100,000) were also higher than the overall rate in our area.  Rates among all other age groups were lower than the overall rate.
• The local incidence rate in the past 7 days was 41.7 new cases per 100 000 population, compared to 27.2 cases per 100 000 in the previous 7 days.
• Of the 83 new cases in our service area in the past week, 31 were a close contact of confirmed case and 24 were associated with 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. Three (3) cases were travel-related, while 13 had no known epidemiological link. Twelve (12) cases remained under investigation
• Of the 83 cases reported this week, 81 reside in Greater Sudbury while 1 resides in Sudbury West and 1 in Manitoulin district. (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 October 14 and October 20, Public Health identified 496 people as having had high-risk close contact with a case of COVID-19. This represents an average of 6.0 high-risk close contacts per local case reported in the past 7 days, compared to 9.6 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 (usually not required if fully vaccinated), and make recommendations for testing according to provincial guidance.
• The percent positivity was 0.9% for the period of October 13 to October 19, compared to 2.0% for the previous 7 days.
• For the period of October 13 to October 19 the effective reproductive number (Rt) was 1.03 for Northern Ontario, and 0.87 for Ontario overall.

Vaccination Program Update

Note: To ensure that our estimated rates of vaccination coverage remain as accurate as possible, as of October 14, 2021, the population figures used in these calculations have been updated to reflect counts recently made available from Statistics Canada. As the new 2020 population estimates are slightly higher than those previously used, readers may notice a decrease in our estimated coverage rates from those published prior to this date. Note that the same change was made by Public Health Ontario, so this improves the comparability of our estimates with their estimates. Provincial coverage estimates are taken from the provincial website. In addition, we have corrected our data to reflect recent updates to dose tracking processes, further decreasing our estimated coverage rates compared to those published prior to this date.

• To date, a total of 316 886 doses of COVID-19 vaccinations have been administered in Sudbury and districts. Thus far, 161 648 people have received their first dose of vaccine and 153 216 people have been fully vaccinated, of which 2 022 people have received a third dose (current as of 4 p.m. October 20, 2021). Note, this includes vaccines administered by Public Health, First Nation and Indigenous communities, primary care, and pharmacies.
• Over the last 7 days up to end of day October 20, 2021, a total of 2 787 vaccine doses were administered.
• Overall, 84.8% of Sudbury and districts residents aged 12+ have received their first dose of a vaccine, compared to 87.7% for all Ontario residents aged 12+.
• Second doses have been received by 80.1% of those aged 12+ in Sudbury and districts compared to 83.5% for all Ontario residents aged 12+.
• The following is a depiction of vaccinations received by age for individuals 12+ in Sudbury and districts.

Stay COVID-safe

• Planning a Halloween celebration? Complete your COVID-19 vaccine series by getting two doses and a third dose if you’re eligible. Being fully vaccinated, protects not only yourself, but the little ghosts and goblins who cannot yet get vaccinated.
• Did you know that using multiple layers of prevention  provides the best protection against COVID-19? No single intervention on its own is perfect at preventing the spread of COVID-19. Continue to follow personal protective measures.
• If you or a loved one is experiencing problems with gambling, drugs, alcohol, or mental health during this pandemic Connex Ontario’s (connexontario.ca) system navigation specialists offer free confidential support 24/7, when you need it. Reach out today by calling 1-866-531-2600, by web chat or by email.

What’s new

• As of Monday, October 18, all Ontarians can download an enhanced vaccine certificate at https://covid-19.ontario.ca/get-proof/. All previous forms of proof remain acceptable. Businesses can also download the Verify Ontario App. For more information, read the full news release on ontario.ca.

Message from Dr. Penny Sutcliffe, Medical Officer of Health

I would like to acknowledge the very real toll COVID-19 has taken and continues to take on individuals, workplaces, and communities. Whether COVID-19 has affected you individually or someone you love, your employment, or your living situation, it is important to recognize that we are weathering this storm together. The kindness, patience, and flexibility we have built up over these long months will get us through and make us even stronger once the pandemic wanes. Responding to the pandemic has required Public Health to shift efforts and priorities and has meant the reduction or suspension of many of our services. Thank you for your patience with us! Pandemic recovery will require us to reestablish and reinvigorate services and relationships – and we look forward to that. Thank you for doing your part by getting vaccinated, practising COVID-safe behaviours, and being patient and kind to each other.

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. Starting the week of October 25, the detailed epidemiology summary will be posted on Tuesdays. The next summary will be available Tuesday, October 26. In addition, a detailed vaccination report is produced on Tuesdays that includes information about vaccine administration over time, by regions, by brand, by dose and by age groups. The report also provides additional context by comparing our data to Ontario.

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).