This is Oakville's coronavirus update for Saturday, January 6, 2024. The number of COVID-19 hospitalizations has gone down in Oakville, but new cases and testing positivity are still on the rise.
Halton is averaging 24 new COVID-19 cases per day, up more than 20% from just last week. Three new outbreaks have opened at workplaces and seniors care facilities in Halton, bringing the current total to 14.
Over one quarter of all PCR tests are coming back positive in Halton, at 25.2%. While an average of 24 new cases are being confirmed daily in Halton, that only tracks those confirmed by a PCR test - the number is almost certainly much higher when counting unreported rapid test results.
Canada-wide, there are over 4,700 news cases of coronavirus this week. While that number is still large, the rate of new admissions is down 10% from reported figures over the Christmas break. New coronavirus hospital admissions continue to outpace discharges nationwide.
1 in 6 Halton residents are up-to-date on their correct dosage. But a significant majority of that group are seniors: among those under age 60, less than than 9% of the population had any booster dose in 2023.
The worldwide case total has surpassed 770 million confirmed cases since the start of the pandemic. Confirmed global deaths are approaching 7 million people, though the real count of unofficial deaths is millions higher.
![Unsplash](https://www.vmcdn.ca/f/files/oakville/import/2f3087f6_covid vaccine.jpeg)
**Vaccine booking: All doses and booster doses are now available for anyone in Halton age 5 and up. First doses are available for those six months and older.
While Halton's vaccine clinics are now closed, most pharmacies and health care centres are offering all numbered doses and boosters to patients.
New data from Halton Regional Health as of this week:
Halton is averaging 24.4 new COVID-19 cases per day, an approximate 20% increase from last week's 20.0 average daily cases.
- There are 14 active outbreaks in Halton (3 more than last week)
- 25.2% of locally administered COVID-19 tests are coming back positive (3.9% more than last week)
- 23 people are being treated in hospital with COVID-19 (25 fewer than last week)
Vaccinations in Halton Region:
- At least 1.66 million doses have been administered in Halton
- 93% of Halton residents have at least two doses (the primary series)
- 17% of eligible Halton residents (age 12+) are up to date on their booster shots (have had the primary series and a booster dose in the last six months)
- 46% of eligible residents have a primary series and a booster more than six months ago
Canadian COVID-19 Update:
- Canada has had 4.65 million cumulative cases of COVID-19
- There are 649,900 active cases in Canada (+4,700 this week)
- 4,260 people are currently in hospital (+73 this week)
- There are 51,932 deaths to date (+74 this week)
- 82.60% of Canadians have at least two doses of vaccine
- 51.64% of Canadians are vaccinated including one or more booster doses
Global COVID-19 Update:
- U.S. hospitalizations are up 20.4% this past week, a large increase from last week's 16.7%
- U.S. deaths have increased 12.5% this week, up from last week's 10%
- Americans with up-to-date with all recommended vaccine booster doses are no longer being reported by the CDC
- 773.44 million people worldwide have been diagnosed with COVID-19 since the pandemic started; 6.99 million people have died
- 52,200 people worldwide have been infected in the last seven days, but many regions in Africa and eastern Europe have not submitted reports this week due to holidays
The evidence is clear: though transmission has dramatically slowed, vaccination (including all recommended booster shots) is still the best way to be protected from contracting COVID-19.
Local, provincial, national and international health units affirm the same data that Canada's approved vaccines and all boosters effectively protect you from COVID-19 and significantly reduces your risk of getting sick, going to the hospital, and dying from the disease.
Book a vaccination appointment for any numbered dose of vaccine, including all boosters, online here
Sources:
- Halton Region (and halton.ca/covid19)
- Halton Healthcare
- Joseph Brant Hospital
- HDSB COVID Advisory Page
- The Government of Ontario dashboard
- Public Health Ontario COVID-19 Data Tool
- Government of Canada
- COVID-19 Vaccination Tracker Canada
- The U.S. Centre for Disease Control
- Our World in Data
- Johns Hopkins University Research Centre
- World Health Organization