The pandemic’s death toll in Huron-Perth has reached 104.
Huron Perth public health reported the region’s latest COVID-related death on Wednesday.
The death has not been connected to a local outbreak, the health unit confirmed.
There were 10 active outbreaks in Huron Perth on Thursday, according to health unit’s COVID-19 dashboard. Those include seven outbreaks at area long-term care and retirement homes, plus three outbreaks in other unnamed congregate living settings.
Of the province’s 626 long-term care homes, 120 were reporting an active outbreak on Thursday, five more than the previous day, government data show.
Neither Huron Perth public health or the province updated COVID-19 data on Good Friday, a holiday.
Wastewater signals suggest COVID-19 transmission in may have peaked in Ontario, but the province’s pandemic advisers have said it’s unclear where the trend is heading.
The Ontario COVID-19 Science Advisory Table shared its latest modeling on the disease on Thursday, noting the province is “well into wave six of the pandemic” spurred by the infectious BA.2 Omicron subvariant, waning immunity and the lifting of most public- health measures.
The expert group said it’s unclear if the apparent crest in cases during the sixth wave will be followed by an increase, a decrease or a continued plateau after the long weekend.
The new modeling suggests hospitalizations and ICU admissions will continue rising, with timing and height of the peak uncertain. The group, however, noted it’s unlikely they will reach levels seen earlier this year during the fifth wave.
The projections came as Ontario reported 1,392 people in hospital with COVID-19 on Wednesday, including 177 in intensive care, compared with 1,332 hospitalizations and 182 people in ICUs the previous day.
There were 4,589 new infections reported, with limited access to PCR testing. The science table’s scientific director has said wastewater surveillance suggests the province is seeing between 100,000 and 120,000 new daily cases.
Five people from Huron-Perth were in hospital Thursday due to COVID-19 or a related complication.
-With files from the Canadian Press