One new COVID-related death, hospitalizations rise in northeastern Ontario
Another person has died from COVID-19, the Porcupine Health Unit said Thursday, marking the 32nd pandemic-related death in the health unit's coverage area.
It's the second death in two days, after Algoma Public Health reported its 21st fatality Wednesday. In total, seven deaths have been reported in the area this week, following five deaths in Greater Sudbury reported Monday.
Sudbury's health unit also reported two new outbreaks Thursday, both at retirement homes: Golden Years Retirement Home and Southwind Retirement Home.
Sudbury has the most in hospital with the disease – 38 – including four in ICU. They're followed by Sault Ste. Marie, which has nine, Timiskaming with five and North Bay/Parry Sound with three.
Overall, there are 2,834 active cases of COVID-19 in northeastern Ontario as of 5 p.m. Thursday, a drop of 46 cases in the last 24 hours. Public Health Sudbury & Districts has the highest number of active cases, at 983, followed by Porcupine at 861.
All health units in the northeast now caution that active cases aren't an accurate measure of how many actual cases there are in the area.
"Due to changes in the availability of testing, driven by increasing COVID-19 cases related to the Omicron variant, case counts in our current data reports are an underestimate of the true number of individuals with COVID-19 in Ontario," the Porcupine Health Unit said.
"These case numbers are an underestimation of the true number of COVID-19 cases in the community, due to changes in testing eligibility that took effect on Dec. 31," added the Timiskaming Health Unit.
"PCR testing at assessment centres is now limited to the most vulnerable people and people in highest risk settings."
The North Bay Parry Sound Health Unit now reports its numbers as only reflecting "individuals who are eligible for PCR testing."
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Pharmacare bill passes in the House of Commons, heads to the Senate
The Liberals' pharmacare bill is headed to the Senate after passing third reading in the House of Commons.
National Bank of Canada seizes Ont. woman’s car by mistake
A university student woke up one morning to find her car had been towed away without warning. She finally got answers - just not the ones she expected.
More Canadians are moving to the U.S. Here's one of the main reasons, according to an immigration expert
Recent data from the U.S. census revealed that more than 126,000 people moved from Canada to the U.S. in 2022. An expert said that one of the main reasons for this move is the cost of living.
MPs 'wittingly' took part in foreign interference: national security committee
Some MPs began 'wittingly assisting' foreign state actors soon after their election, says a report released Monday, including sending confidential information to Indian officials.
Her gut was producing alcohol. Doctors didn't believe her
For two years doctors told her she was an alcoholic. Then they realized her gut was making alcohol from carbohydrates, a rare condition called auto-brewery syndrome.
Bus carrying Quebec tourists crashes in Cuba, leaving 1 dead and 26 injured
One person is dead and 26 were injured after a bus carrying Quebec tourists was involved in a collision in Cuba on Sunday.
Here's how far B.C. drivers must keep from cyclists, pedestrians under new law
A new law protecting cyclists and pedestrians in British Columbia takes effect Monday, establishing minimum distances that drivers must keep from so-called vulnerable road users.
N.L. becomes latest province to eye stricter tobacco regulations
Newfoundland and Labrador has floated an eyebrow-raising trial balloon in a bid to further the public health fight against tobacco and nicotine.
Forest bathing: What it is and why some Alberta doctors recommend it
Many people are familiar with the benefits of being in nature, but forest therapy goes a step further than a simple walk in the woods.