June 17, 2023 coronavirus update for Oakville

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This is Oakville's coronavirus update for Saturday, June 17, 2023. While active cases remain steady in Halton, the number of local hospitalizations has doubled in the last week. Curiously, none of these new hospital admissions are from Oakville - all but one are located in Milton.

Milton is also the only municipality in Halton struggling with ongoing outbreaks. Two remain open, leading to more hospitalizations this week. Halton has yet to officially end the ongoing outbreaks in senior care throughout the region.

After the first week of June reported three deaths, no one in Halton died this week from COVID-19.

Halton is falling even further behind on vaccination: only 8% of Halton residents have a full series of immunization, and the pace at which the percentage of those with outdated immunization is only getting faster. Among those 50 and under, those fully immunized has dropped to a worrying 4%.

The World Health Organization (WHO) has declared that after more than three years, the COVID-19 global health emergency is now over. WHO has determined that "COVID-19 is now an established and ongoing health issue which no longer constitutes a public health emergency of international concern (PHEIC)."

765 million cases of COVID-19 have now been recorded worldwide since the start of the pandemic. Confirmed global deaths are nearing 7 million people, though the real count of unofficial deaths is almost certainly millions higher.

**Vaccine booking: All doses and booster doses are now available for anyone in Halton age 5 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 and fourth dose boosters for anyone age 5 and up.

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

Oakville COVID-19 Update:

  • 6 new cases of COVID-19 have been reported (3 less than last week)
  • No one was hospitalized (same as last week)
  • No new deaths (same as last week)
  • No active outbreaks in Oakville - no change

Halton COVID-19 Update:

  • 31 new cases of COVID-19 (2 less than last week)
  • 6 people were hospitalized (3 more than last week)
  • No new deaths (2 less than last week)
  • 2 active outbreaks in Halton - no change

Vaccinations in Halton Region:

  • At least 1.56 million doses have been administered in Halton
  • 90% of Halton residents have at least two doses (the primary series)
  • 8% 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)
  • 55% of eligible residents have a primary series and a booster more than six months ago

Ontario COVID-19 Update:

As of April 2023, the province of Ontario is now only providing broad updates on the tracking of COVID-19 data once per week. These updates no longer include concrete, publicly released numbers of new cases and hospitalizations.

Listed below are the cumulative numbers up to April 15, 2023, when regular reporting stopped:

Canadian COVID-19 Update:

  • Canada has had 4.56 million cumulative cases of COVID-19
  • There are 563,400 active cases in Canada (+1,200 this week)
  • 2,629 people are currently in hospital (-89 this week)
  • There are 50,507 deaths to date (+37 this week)
  • 82.70% of Canadians are fully vaccinated (+0.0015%)

Global COVID-19 Update:

  • As of May 11, 2023, the United States is no longer tracking new, aggregate daily cases and deaths or new nationwide testing data 
  • U.S. cases to date are now above 106 million; 1.13 million have died
  • Only 17.0% of Americans are up-to-date with all recommended vaccine booster doses
  • 767.98 million people worldwide have been diagnosed with COVID-19 since the pandemic started; 6.94 million people have died

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. 

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