This is Oakville's coronavirus update for Saturday, March 18, 2023. Oakville reports no new deaths for the second week in a row and a small decline in active cases.
Other areas in Halton, are reporting a small increase in both new and active cases. Active cases continue rising slowly but continually in most of Ontario and across Canada.
Only one active remains in Oakville, located at Chartwell Waterford long-term care home. That outbreak has now been ongoing for over a month since beginning on Feb. 14, 2023.
Cumulative deaths across Canada reached the notable milestone of 50,000 since the beginning of the pandemic in early 2020. Those are only confirmed cases and deaths; the actual total is almost certainly higher.
Ontario has resumed updating provincial vaccination rates after no updates were given through the month of February. No additional details are being provided by sources about the delays; they have not responded to Oakville News' multiple requests for comment.
Through Ontario's updates, vaccination rates have dropped by 0.01% as totals are revised.
The bivalent booster vaccine is now available to those ages 5 and up. Uptick in vaccinations across the province, including locally, has been especially slow, at a pace almost 75% slower from fall 2021.
Over 760 million cases of COVID-19 have now been recorded worldwide since the start of the pandemic; 6.87 million people have died.
**Vaccine booking: Fourth doses (second booster doses) of vaccine are now available for anyone in Halton age 12 and up, though fourth doses must be at least five months since your last dose and 90 days since having COVID-19.
Halton continues to book first and second-dose vaccinations for all residents age six months and older, plus third-dose boosters for anyone age 12 and up.
Oakville COVID-19 Update:
- 20 new cases of COVID-19 have been reported (8 less than last week)
- 1 person were hospitalized (2 less than last week)
- Zero new deaths (No change)
- 1 active outbreak in Oakville - minus 1
Halton COVID-19 Update:
- 97 new cases of COVID-19 (8 more than last week)
- 5 people were hospitalized (3 less than last week)
- Zero new deaths (2 less than last week)
- 5 active outbreaks in Halton - plus 1
Vaccinations in Halton Region:
- At least 1.54 million doses have been administered in Halton
- 92% of Halton residents have at least two doses (the primary series)
- 25% 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)
- 38% of eligible residents have a primary series and a booster more than six months ago
Ontario COVID-19 Update:
- There have been 1.59 million cases in Ontario to date
- 16,262 deaths to date (+45 this week)
- 849 people are in hospital with COVID-19 (-147 this week)
- There are 89 people in ICU (-1 this week)
Summary of provincial vaccinations
- 89.94% of all eligible Ontarians (age five and older) have at least one dose (No change)
- 82.49% of Ontarians have received at least two doses (+0.001%)
- 51.97% of people have received a third dose (+0.001%)
Canadian COVID-19 Update:
- Canada has had 4.52 million cumulative cases of COVID-19
- There are 533,600 active cases in Canada (+3,100 this week)
- 3,339 people are currently in hospital (-213 this week)
- There are 50,210 deaths to date (+129 this week)
- 82.69% of Canadians are fully vaccinated (+0.005%)
Global COVID-19 Update:
- U.S. cases to date are now above 103.80 million; 1.12 million have died
- Only 16.2% of Americans are up-to-date with all recommended vaccine booster doses
- 759.40 million people worldwide have been diagnosed with COVID-19 since the pandemic started; 6.86 million people have died
The evidence is clear: vaccination is the best way to be protected. Local, provincial, national and international health units affirm the same data that Canada's approved vaccines effectively protect you from COVID-19 and significantly reduce your risks of getting sick, going to the hospital, and dying from the disease.
Pictured right is a graph from Halton region last year showing how dramatically your risk of getting sick or being admitted to hospital is when vaccinated - numbers that have remained consistent since vaccine deployment began in early 2021.
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