Delta strain now dominates, but close to 70% of Sudburians over 12 fully vaccinated, health unit reports
As local cases dry up, Public Health Sudbury & Districts said Thursday that 69.2 per cent of people older than 12 have now been vaccinated against COVID-19 with both shots.
More than 80 per cent have received at least one dose, the health unit said, bringing the area closer to the health unit's goal of getting 90 per cent of people in its coverage area fully vaccinated.
While the number new cases have dramatically slowed – no new cases have been reported in two days – there is a disturbing trend underlying the numbers: the extremely contagious Delta variant, which has sparked a surge of new infections among the unvaccinated south of the border.
"The more transmissible and dangerous COVID-19 Delta variant is now dominant in the area," the health unit said in its weekly roundup.
"Since July 1 … the majority (70 per cent) of COVID-19 cases reported in the Public Health Sudbury & Districts area are infected with a variant that has the Delta (B.1.617.2) mutation profile."
“The Delta variant can spread more easily and is associated with higher rates of hospitalization, ICU admission and death as compared with the Alpha variant,” Dr. Penny Sutcliffe, medical officer of health, said in a news release.
“COVID-19 vaccines are effective against Delta, but there is evidence of reduced protection against symptomatic disease after one dose. This means that two-dose vaccine coverage is important for everyone.
"Also, given how infectious Delta is, vaccination rates need to be as high as possible to protect against community spread. If you were waiting for yet another reason to get immunized, here it is,” she added.
Read the full weekly COVID-19 update from the health unit here.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
'A step forward': New screening criteria for sperm donors takes effect
Canadians looking to grow their families with the assistance of sperm or egg donations should soon have more options for donors as the federal health agency does away with longstanding restrictions criticized as discriminatory.
What is whooping cough and should Canadians be concerned as Europe declares outbreak?
There is currently a whooping cough epidemic in Europe, with 10 times as many cases compared to the previous two years. While an outbreak has not been declared nationwide in Canada, whooping cough is regularly detected in the country.
Ontario Provincial Police arrest 64 suspects in child sexual exploitation investigation
Ontario Provincial Police say 64 suspects are facing a combined 348 charges in connection with a series of child sexual exploitation investigations that spanned the province.
'Summer of discontent': Federal unions vow to fight new 3-day a week office mandate
Federal unions are launching legal challenges and encouraging public sector workers to file "tens of thousands" of grievances over the new mandate requiring federal workers to return to the office at least three days a week in the fall.
Pfizer agrees to settle more than 10K lawsuits over Zantac cancer risk: Bloomberg News
Pfizer has agreed to settle more than 10,000 lawsuits about cancer risks related to the now discontinued heartburn drug Zantac, Bloomberg News reported on Wednesday, citing people familiar with the deal.
Watch fighter jet pilots pummel fake enemy ship off coast of Philippines
The United States and Philippines held annual joint-training drills just off the Southeast Asian nation’s western coast on Wednesday. Military forces sunk a 'mock' enemy warship – the BRP Lake Caliraya, which was a decommissioned tanker made in China.
U.S. presidential candidate RFK Jr. had a brain worm, has recovered, campaign says
Independent U.S. presidential candidate Robert F. Kennedy Jr. had a parasite in his head more than a decade ago, but has fully recovered, his campaign said, after the New York Times reported about the ailment.
'Ozempic babies': Reports of surprise pregnancies raise new questions about weight loss drugs
Numerous women have shared stories of 'Ozempic babies' on social media. But the joy some experience in discovering pregnancies may come with anxiety about the unknowns.
Rookie goalie Arturs Silovs to start for Canucks in Game 1 vs. Oilers
Rookie goalie Arturs Silovs will start in net for the Canucks as Vancouver kicks off a second-round series against the Edmonton Oilers Wednesday night.