The number of active COVID-19 cases in Huron-Perth hit an all-time record this week, as did the number active cases provincewide, and local public-health officials recorded the region’s 73rd and 74th COVID-related deaths.
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The number of active COVID-19 cases in Huron-Perth surged to more than 500 this week as local public health officials reported two more COVID-related deaths since Christmas Day.
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As of Thursday, there were 483 active cases across both counties, with 97 new cases confirmed on the Huron Perth public health online COVID-19 dashboard since Wednesday. In Stratford alone, there were 116 active cases reported on Thursday, followed closely by 91 active cases in Huron East.
Other COVID-19 hot spots in the region includes North Perth, with 40 active cases; South Huron, with 34; St. Marys, with 31; Bluewater, with 30; and Perth East, with 25.
While public health officials recorded the region’s 73rd and 74th COVID-related deaths since the pandemic began, hospitalizations remained steady, with just five people in area hospitals because of the virus.
However, hospitals across Huron-Perth are continuing to feel the pinch as even more staff are unable to work because they’re either experiencing symptoms of the virus with a test result pending, have tested positive for COVID-19 or have been at a high risk for exposure.
On Thursday, the Huron Perth Healthcare Alliance said in a press release that almost 80 hospital staff are currently unable to work, up from roughly 30 on Tuesday.
“With many of the patient-care units and supporting departments across our sites already strained for staffing, adjustments need to be made to both allow for the reassignment of staff and to help reduce the risk of exposures that may lead to additional COVID-19 cases , ”Healthcare alliance president and CEO Andrew Williams said in a press release.
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With staff absences continuing to increase and in an effort to preserve essential services, the healthcare alliance is now postponing non-urgent surgeries.
“We obviously regret having to postpone these surgeries. However, the uncertainty we are facing with the Omicron variant requires these added safety measures to be implemented, ”Williams said.
Those impacted by surgical postponements will be contacted directly by their surgeon’s office.
Across the province, the number of new COVID-19 cases shattered previous single-day records with 13,807 new cases reported Thursday. The province also recorded eight new COVID-related deaths, bringing the total up to 10,179 since January 2020, and a total of 965 people are in hospital because of the virus, an increase of 239 hospitalizations over the previous day.