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
'They needed people inside Air Canada:' Police announce arrests in Pearson gold heist
Police say one former and one current employee of Air Canada are among the nine suspects that are facing charges in connection with the gold heist at Pearson International Airport last year.
Why drivers in Eastern Canada could see big gas price spikes, and other Canadians won't
Drivers in Eastern Canada face a big increase in gas prices because of various factors, especially the higher cost of the summer blend, industry analysts say.
BREAKING Toronto Raptors player Jontay Porter banned from NBA
Toronto Raptors player Jontay Porter has been handed a lifetime ban from The National Basketball Association (NBA) following an investigation which found he disclosed confidential information to sports bettors, the league says.
WATCH LIVE As GC Strategies partner is admonished by MPs, RCMP confirms search warrant executed
The RCMP confirmed Wednesday it had executed a search warrant at an address registered to GC Strategies. This development comes as MPs are enacting an extraordinary, rarely used parliamentary power, summoning one of its contractors to appear before the House of Commons to be admonished publicly for failing to answer questions related to the ArriveCan app.
Disappointment widespread over budget's proposed $200-month disability benefit funding
Advocacy groups across Canada are expressing widespread disappointment about the amount of funding earmarked in the 2024 federal budget for the long-awaited Canada Disability Benefit.
Earthquake jolts southern Japan
An earthquake with a preliminary magnitude of 6.4 hit southern Japan late on Wednesday, said the Japan Meteorological Agency, without issuing a tsunami warning.
opinion Don Martin: Gusher of Liberal spending won't put out the fire in this dumpster
A Hail Mary rehash of the greatest hits from the Trudeau government’s three-week travelling pony-show, the 2024 federal budget takes aim at reversing the party’s popularity plunge in the under-40 set, writes political columnist Don Martin. But will it work before the next election?
Woman who pressured boyfriend to kill his ex in 2000s granted absences from prison
A woman who pressured her boyfriend into killing his teenage ex more than a decade ago will be allowed to leave prison for weeks at a time.
Former Sask. massage therapist who sexually assaulted clients has day parole revoked
A former massage therapist who pleaded guilty to a string of sexual assaults has had his day parole revoked.