TORONTO, Oct. 21, 2022 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- According to The Ontario Health Coalition, the Ford government has ceased regular reporting on the spread of COVID-19. Public Health no longer publishes daily and weekly epidemiologic reports and it has become steadily more difficult to get accurate numbers. Not only are the government and Public Health not reporting much of the data previously available, they have also cut testing and abandoned trace and isolation measures. Regardless, there is some data available and infectious disease specialists have taken up the challenge of identifying transmission of the virus using wastewater, serology and other evidence. The Ontario Health Coalition released a report today in plain language to give the public a clearer idea of the risks. The data the Coalition found on long-term care and hospital outbreaks, hospitalizations, community spread and deaths should raise red flags. The abandonment of all public protections against the transmission of the virus is resulting in loss of health and death for a significant number of Ontarians.
On December 31, 2021, the Ontario government heavily restricted access to public PCR testing. This meant that a very small percent of the population could get access to PCR testing resulting in a significant underreporting of positive cases. The end of public testing has ushered in a new era of data suppression in which regular Ontarians had no way of knowing how prevalent and dangerous the spread of COVID-19 was in our communities.
From the week of Oct 2- Oct 8, there were only 66,177 tests done resulting in 8,929 confirmed cases. For context, there were 435,213 tests performed from the week of Dec 26, 2021-Jan 1 2022, the last week prior to the strict rationing of public testing.
Dr. Tara Moriarty of Moriarty Labs, an infectious diseases research laboratory studying blood borne pathogens, and a group of doctors and researchers created COVID-19 Resources Canada in order to provide more information to Canadians. They have used the best available data to calculate the spread of COVID-19 including wastewater surveillance, seroprevalence and in some provinces, self-reporting to give an accurate depiction of COVID-19 in our communities.
Their key findings include:
There were 68,910 new COVID-19 cases in Ontario on October 14, the most recent day reported. That is 68,910 new cases in one day. That is 44 percent of the new daily infections in Canada. (Note: Ontario has 39 percent of Canada’s population but 44 percent of daily new infections on the most recent date reported.)
COVID-19 remains a serious and potentially fatal pathogen:
- 7,235 of those infected on October 14 will have significant symptoms that will last more than 4-weeks and will limit their daily activity.
- 389 Ontarians are predicted to have been hospitalized for COVID-19 on October 14.
- As of October 14, 1 in 32 Canadians either have COVID-19 or are still suffering from symptoms of COVID-19 and 3.5% of Ontarians have COVID-19 or are still suffering from COVID-19 symptoms.
Long-Term Care COVID-19 Outbreaks Update
On October 12, the Ontario government COVID-19 website reported 152 active outbreaks with 1,526 active resident cases and 480 active staff cases. 11 long-term care residents died from COVID-19 on that date. There are 626 long-term care homes in Ontario, which means that approximately 1 in 4 homes are in outbreak.
Deaths in Ontario’s LTC homes for the previous week:
October 12: 11 deaths
October 11: 1 death
October 10 1 death
October 9: missing data
October 8: 10 deaths
October 7: 4 deaths
October 6: 9 deaths
The Ministry of Long-Term Care statistics have always been lower than Public Health Ontario data (for which they recently stopped reporting detailed breakdowns). It is evident that they are still underreporting because on October 8, Public Health reported 161 active outbreaks compared to the 152 active outbreaks reported by the provincial government. This may be the last update with reliable information in LTC because as of October 14, the Ministry of Long-Term Care has issued new guidance limiting testing to symptomatic residents, removing the requirement for testing on admission, and changing the definition of an outbreak to two or more residents with a known epi-link. Staff infections will no longer contribute to an outbreak and homes are now going to be self-reporting their cases.
Large Outbreaks in Long-Term Care
Most Public Health Units are not listing the cases and deaths in LTC anymore. In our research we found that only Sarnia-Lambton, Chatham Kent, Southwestern, York, Huron-Perth, Waterloo, Windsor Essex, Peel and North Bay Parry Sound Public Health Units (PHUs) report the number of cases associated with outbreaks.
Sarnia-Lambton:
Marshall Gowland Manor: a 126-bed Long-Term Care home in Sarnia has 40 residents and <5 staff/visitors infected with COVID-19.
Southwestern PHU:
Caressant Care- Bonnie Place: a for-profit 116-bed Long-Term Care home in St Thomas has an active outbreak with 58 cases in their residents/staff.
Elgin Manor-St Thomas: a 90-bed home in St Thomas has an outbreak with 48 confirmed cases and 1 probable case in their residents and staff.
PeopleCare Tavistock: a 100-bed home in Tavistock has an outbreak with 46 confirmed cases in their residents and staff.
Huron Perth:
Queensway Nursing Home: a 60-bed home has an outbreak with 16 residents infected.
Greenwood Courts: a non-profit long-term care home with 48 beds has an outbreak with 15 residents and 4 staff members infected.
Windsor-Essex:
Chartwell Royal Oak: a 160-bed home has an outbreak with 20 cases associated
The Village of Aspen Lake: a 192-bed home has an outbreak with 19 cases associated.
Heron Terrace Long-Term Care: a 140-bed has an outbreak with 34 cases associated.
Berkshire Care Centre: a 231-bed home has an outbreak with 18 cases.
Peel:
Extendicare Brampton: a 150-bed home has an outbreak with 55 residents infected.
Waterloo:
Golden Year Long-Term Care: an 88-bed home, has an outbreak with 19 residents and 7 staff infected.
The Village at University Gates: a 192-bed home has an outbreak with 43 residents and 9 staff members infected.
Barnswallow Place: a 96-bed home has an outbreak with 50 residents and 6 staff infected.
Hospital Update
As of October 20, there are 121 active outbreaks in Ontario’s 141 Hospitals according to the Ontario government. This includes multiple outbreaks in some hospitals.
Local Public Health Unit Updates
COVID-19 Cases in our Communities
Toronto- From October 11-18, there have been 1,683 new confirmed cases of COVID-19 and 16 deaths from COVID-19. 70 New cases have resulted in hospitalization.
Southwestern Ontario: As of October 12, there were 238 active confirmed COVID-19 cases, 18 of which have resulted in hospitalization in the Southwestern Public Health Unit
Niagara: As of October 17, there were 823 active confirmed cases in the Niagara Public Health Unit. There were 15 active outbreaks in Niagara’s long-term care homes, retirement communities and hospitals.
Windsor-Essex: As of October 13, there were 307 new active confirmed cases and 3 COVID-19 deaths, 56 patients hospitalized with COVID-19 and 3 in ICU. There were 27 active outbreaks in long-term care, hospitals and retirement homes.
Sarnia-Lambton: From October 2- October 8, there have been 112 new cases of COVID-19 and there has been an average of 8 COVID-19 patients hospitalized per day. There were 9 active outbreaks in LTC homes, retirement homes and congregate living settings.
Chatham-Kent: From October 9- October 15 there were 76 new active confirmed cases and 3 active outbreaks in group homes and retirement homes.
Halton: As of October 12, there were 12 active outbreaks in Halton’s hospitals, LTC homes and retirement homes. On average there are 27.7 new confirmed cases per day and 3 of those cases require hospitalization.
Wellington-Dufferin Guelph: As of October 19, there were 203 active confirmed COVID-19 cases, 23 patients were hospitalized and 3 are in ICU. There were 4 active outbreaks in the area’s hospitals and retirement homes.
Waterloo: As of October 14, there were 275 active confirmed cases, with 49 hospitalizations, and there were 11 active outbreaks in Waterloo’s congregate care settings, hospitals and long-term care homes.
Huron Perth: As of October 12, there were 4 patients hospitalized with COVID-19. There are 2 active outbreaks in long-term care, 2 in congregate care settings and 5 active outbreaks in retirement homes in Huron Perth.
Haldimand-Norfolk: There are 10 active outbreaks in Haldimand-Norfolk’s long-term care homes, retirement homes, hospitals, congregate living settings and farms.
London-Middlesex: As of October 17, there were 757 active cases in London-Middlesex and between October 13 and October 17, 4 people have died of COVID-19. There were 18 active outbreaks in LTC homes, hospitals and retirement communities.
Hamilton: As of October 18, there were 141 active confirmed cases in Hamilton. As of October 10, there have been 2 cases requiring hospitalization per day on average and as of October 12, there have been on average 19 active outbreaks per day.
Ottawa: As of October 16, there were 873 active confirmed cases of COVID-19, 36 of which are currently getting treatment in a hospital. There are currently 68 active outbreaks.
Renfrew: As of October 13, there were 125 active confirmed cases with 10 hospitalizations. There are also 7 active outbreaks in Renfrew’s hospitals, long-term care homes and hospitals.
York: As of October 18, 93 people in York region were hospitalized with COVID-19. There were 20 active outbreaks in York’s retirement homes, long-term care homes and hospitals.
Peterborough: As of October 5, there were 489 active confirmed cases in Peterborough, 33 of which are currently being hospitalized for COVID-19. There were 14 active outbreaks in Peterborough’s hospitals, long-term care homes and retirement homes.
Durham: From October 5- October 12, there were 343 new active confirmed COVID-19 cases, 5 patients were hospitalized, 1 patient ended up in ICU and there was 1 death from COVID-19. There were 21 ongoing outbreaks in Durham’s long-term care homes, retirement homes, and hospitals.
Haliburton, Kawartha, Pine Ridge District: Does not report case data, there are 5 active COVID-19 outbreaks in the area’s congregate care settings, long-term care, retirement homes and hospitals.
Hastings Prince Edward: As of October 18, there were 189 active confirmed cases, 35 of whom are currently hospitalized with COVID-19 and 3 are in ICU. There are 14 active outbreaks in Hastings-Prince Edward’s long-term care, hospitals and retirement homes.
Leeds, Grenville and Lanark: As of October 18, there were 226 new confirmed cases, 15 people were hospitalized with COVID-19, 5 were in ICU and 1 was on a ventilator. There are 15 active outbreaks with 242 cases associated with them in the area’s hospitals, congregate care and community living facilities.
Kingston Frontenac Lennox & Addington: As of October 18, there were 415 active confirmed cases, 24 of whom were hospitalized with COVID-19 and 6 were in ICU. There were 11 active outbreaks in KFL&A’s hospitals, long-term care, retirement homes and group homes.
Eastern Ontario: As of October 18, there were 16 people hospitalized for COVID-19, 3 of whom were in ICU. There were 12 active outbreaks in Eastern Ontario’s facilities.
Simcoe-Muskoka: As of October 13, there were 748 active cases of COVID-19, 23 of whom were hospitalized for COVID-19, and 8 people have died from COVID-19 in the last week. There were 30 outbreaks in the area’s facilities.
Grey-Bruce: As of October 13, there were 89 active confirmed COVID-19 cases, 5 of whom are currently hospitalized with COVID-19.
Northwestern: There are 70 active confirmed COVID-19 cases and 4 active outbreaks in the Northwestern PHU.
Timiskaming: There are 78 active confirmed COVID-19 cases in Timiskaming, 12 of whom are currently hospitalized and 1 is in ICU. There are 4 active outbreaks in long-term care, retirement homes and hospitals.
North Bay Parry Sound: As of October 12, there were 182 active confirmed cases, 22 of which are currently hospitalized and 4 outbreaks in long-term care, hospitals and retirement homes. North Bay Regional Health Centre has an outbreak with 22 cases associated with it.
Algoma: In the last week there were 215 new active confirmed cases in Algoma, there are 45 people hospitalized with COVID and 5 of them are in the ICU. There are 14 active outbreaks in Algoma’s hospitals, long-term care and retirement homes.
Sudbury: As of October 17, there were 295 active confirmed cases in the Sudbury area, 55 patients are currently hospitalized and 1 is in ICU. There were 14 active outbreaks in Sudbury’s hospitals, retirement homes and long-term care homes.
Porcupine: As of October 12, there were 8 active outbreaks in the Porcupine PHU’s long-term care, hospitals, congregate care and retirement homes.
Thunder Bay: As of October 13, there were 234 active confirmed COVID-19 cases in Thunder Bay, 57 people were hospitalized for COVID-19 and 1 was in the ICU. There were 10 active outbreaks in Thunder Bay’s long-term care, hospitals, retirement homes and congregate care settings.
Brant County: As of October 18, there were 92 active confirmed cases in Brant County, 7 of whom have been hospitalized. There are 6 active outbreaks in Brant County’s hospitals, retirement homes and long-term care homes.
Peel: From October 14- October 18, there were 195 new active confirmed cases in Peel. On October 18 there were 15 active outbreaks in Peel’s long-term care and retirement homes.
For more information: Natalie Mehra, Executive Director (416) 230-6402 (cell); Salah Shadir, Administration & Operations Manager (647) 648-5706 (cell)
A photo accompanying this announcement is available at https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/901b9d76-7058-4179-8a62-e28a66eb302a
