January 4, 2021 coronavirus update for Oakville

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Oakville’s January 4, 2022 COVID-19 update shows a continued upward trend in cases both in Halton Region and across the province. Halton reported 466 new cases, and while Oakville Trafalgar Memorial Hospital (OTMH) saw no increase in COVID-19 patients, there are now 1,290 in Ontario and two major GTA hospitals have declared “Code Orange.”

This comes as Ontarians react to yesterday’s restriction announcements. “Step Two” takes effect tonight at midnight and will mean gathering limits and the temporary closing of schools, as well as many businesses.

Today, William Osler Health System, a major GTA group of medical centres, declared a “Code Orange.” This is a step that hospitals take when patient demand is larger than the hospital's capacity. Osler runs Brampton Civic Hospital and Etobicoke General Hospital. A press release from the group said that this surge in demand is caused by large COVID-19 numbers and staffing shortages. Osler will be suspending medical services deemed “non-urgent.” They will also be transferring some patients to other nearby hospitals to increase capacity. This is troubling news, as the Omicron variant’s impact on the public health care system is the main concern of the provincial government.

Halton reported 466 new cases, which is 55 more than Monday’s total of 411. Case numbers are likely being affected by recent changes in COVID-19 testing eligibility and Public Health Ontario says they are likely an underestimate of the virus’s spread.

Ontario recorded 11,352 new cases of COVID-19. There have been ten deaths from the virus across the province in the past 24 hours and there are currently 1,290 people hospitalized. The seven-day rolling average of patients in Ontario Intensive Care Units is 221.

There are 49 confirmed cases across Halton Hospitals, and OTMH is currently treating 36. This is in comparison to 1,290 across the province, 266 of which are in critical care. For context, on Christmas eve – just 11 days ago – there were 508 COVID patients in hospital in Ontario.

**Vaccine booking update: Halton continues to book first and second dose vaccinations for all residents age 5 and older, plus third dose boosters for all adults age 18 and up.

Booster doses and appointments for children must be made in advance, but first and second doses for those 12 and up are available on a walk-in basis.

All vaccines approved for use in Canada effectively protect you against COVID-19 and all known variants of concern.

**CLICK HERE to book a first, second or third vaccination appointment at a Halton Region vaccine clinic**

Note: Oakville News updates are published at least five days a week, sharing new Halton data from Tuesday to Friday and Ontario, Canada, and globally Monday through Saturday.

Oakville and Halton COVID-19 update

Summary of Oakville vaccinations

  • 84% of all Oakville residents are fully vaccinated
  • 86% of all Oakville have received at least one dose
  • 1,174 active cases
  • 36 patients at Oakville Trafalgar Memorial Hospital - no change
  • 9,935 total cases (confirmed and probable)
  • 69 deaths - no change
  • 8,482 recoveries
  • 8,5551 completed (recoveries+deaths) cases - 86.2% of cases
  • 21 active outbreaks

Status in Halton

  • 87% of all Halton residents are fully vaccinated
  • 89% of all residents have received at least one dose
  • 129,977 Halton residents have received a booster shot
  • At least 1.06 million total vaccinations administered - plus 3,661

Changes in figures are since the Oakville News update on Jan. 3, 2022.

  • 3,747 active cases - plus 466
  • 65 cases in hospitals across Halton - 
  • 30,366 total cases (confirmed+probable)
  • 246 deaths - no change
  • 26,127 recoveries
  • 26,373 completed (recoveries+deaths) cases - 86.8% of cases 
  • 21 active outbreaks

School cases (as of Dec. 20, 2021)

  • School numbers are not being updated during closures

Note: Halton Region combines its recovery count into one number with probable, now closed cases. This total includes some cases that were not coronavirus recoveries. Halton Region does not release the names of businesses with active outbreaks.

Ontario COVID-19 update

  • Cases continue to surge across the province, with 11,352 confirmed cases as of January 3
  • The province now has over 130 thousand active cases
  • Testing positivity has now increased to 29.8%, more than a quarter of PCR tests are coming back positive
  • School are closed for at least 21 days from tomorrow
  • Indoor and outdoor gatherings are currently capped at 5 and 10 people respectively
  • The number of outbreaks in long-term care homes now sits at 231
  • Minister of Health Christine Elliott and Doug Ford announced additional beds to be available at the Toronto Congress Centre to deal with patients from surges in hospitals and long-term care homes
  • 88% of all eligible Ontarians (age 5 and older) are fully vaccinated as of December 19

The rules and regulations of the province's Step Two can be found here.

Summary of provincial vaccinations

  • 12.25 million people have received at least one vaccine dose (82.61% of total pop.)
  • At least 11.43 million people are fully vaccinated (77.08% of total pop.)
  • 27.57 million vaccine doses administered (first, second and third)
  • 144,369 active cases
  • 1,290 people hospitalized
  • 816,450 confirmed cases
  • 661,842 recovered cases
  • 10,239 total deaths
  • 672,081 resolved cases (deaths & recovered) or 89.3%
  • 49,737 tests were conducted with a positive rate of 30.9% 
  • 266 people in ICU
  • 128 people on ventilators
  • 982 ongoing institutional outbreaks

Canadian and Global COVID-19 updates

  • The Prime Minister received his booster COVID-19 vaccine today
  • Two GTA hospitals declare "Code Orange," start to accept less patients in need of "non-urgent" care
  • There is a national advisory in effect against all non-essential travel
  • 20% of the Canadian population has received a booster dose of the COVID-19 vaccination

Summary of national vaccinations

  • 87.37% of the eligible population has received at least one dose
  • 80.95% of the eligible population is fully vaccinated
  • 205,822 active cases - plus 20,899
  • 2,358 active hospitalizations - plus 259

US COVID-19 Update

  • 56.31 million cumulative cases
  • 825,106 deaths
  • 73.8% of the total population is fully vaccinated
  • Ranked 21st in global deaths per capita at 252.18 per 100,000 people

World COVID-19 Update

  • 290.95 million cases
  • 5.44 million people have died worldwide
  • At least 9.25 billion vaccine doses have been administered worldwide (source: Our World Data)

The evidence is clear: vaccination is the best way to be protected. Local, provincial, national and international health units all affirm the same data that Canada's approved vaccines are effective at protecting you from COVID-19 and significantly reducing your risks of getting sick, going to hospital, and dying from the disease.

Pictured right is a graph from Halton region showing how dramatically your risk of getting sick or being admitted to hospital is when vaccinated.

90.9% of people in Ontario 12 and older have had at least one dose of a COVID-19 vaccine. Provincial Public Health officials are urging the importance of getting vaccinated, as well as scheduling a free booster shot as soon possible, either through the provincial website or at pharmacies like Rexall or Shoppers Drug Mart.

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