SUDBURY -- Public Health Sudbury & Districts announced 17 more COVID-19 cases Thursday, all in Greater Sudbury.
With the new numbers, the health unit total case count since the start of the pandemic now sits at 499. Out of those, there are 95 active cases, including nine people battling the disease in hospital at Health Sciences North.
Six of the new cases are linked to existing outbreaks in Sudbury and four are a result of close contact with a confirmed case. The source of two cases is unknown and four cases are under investigation.
The outbreaks include one at Amberwood Suites, where a total of 40 cases have been confirmed, including 34 residents and six staff. Five residents have died as a result of the outbreak. Amberwood is home to about 70 residents.
A new case was announced Wednesday, and two residents currently have active cases at the home.
The health unit also announced the Moderna COVID vaccine has been administered to residents in three care homes in Sudbury: Pioneer Manor, Extendicare York, and Extendicare Falconbridge.
The province has announced that public health units will receive sufficient shipments of the vaccine over the next two weeks to immunize all residents of long-term care homes, high-risk retirement homes, and congregate living settings for seniors in First Nations communities by Feb. 5.
“This is an amazing news story, being able to offer the COVID-19 vaccine signals the next stage in our fight against COVID-19 and protecting our most vulnerable from the virus,” Dr. Penny Sutcliffe, medical officer of health, said in a news release. “Our ability to offer residents this vaccine is the result of significant and extensive planning efforts with long-term care homes and key community partners.”
