Sudbury's health unit reports one new death, another 50 COVID-19 cases Wednesday

Sudbury -

Public Health Sudbury & Districts said Wednesday another person has died from COVID-19, and the area has another 50 cases, mostly in Greater Sudbury.

The fatality brings the total to 43 in the health unit's coverage area. All deaths have been people in Greater Sudbury.

Nine of the cases announced Wednesday are on Manitoulin Island, another four are in Sudbury district and 37 are in Greater Sudbury.

Another five cases were announced at Wiikwemkoong Unceded Territory, where an outbreak has grown to 94 active cases, with two resolved.

At Health Sciences North, 20 people are in hospital with the disease, including seven in ICU.

The news comes a day after the Ontario Science Table said its modelling forecasts a rise in hospitalizations next month.

Even without the new Omicron variant, ICUs across the province will likely grow by 250 to 400 beds in January, putting hospitals under strain.

"On one end what I hear from colleagues is that we're seeing extensive transmission in social networks of unvaccinated people, that's one challenge that we have," Dr. Peter Jüni told CTV News reporter Ian Campbell.

"The other part is that in some areas, people may just be unaccustomed to parts of the pandemic so they might be a bit less careful than perhaps people in the Greater Toronto area who have struggled so much."

Jüni said people might be complacent or dealing with COVID fatigue and are letting their guard down. It's a scary thought for him given where some of the numbers lie, particularly with Algoma and Timiskaming who top the list in terms of provincial growth with Delta.

"There are limitations required in places like Algoma, Sudbury and Temiskaming, all of those places need to look at what restrictions will be needed to get it under control," said Jüni.

In Sudbury, the district is currently under a work-from-home order, capacity limits at places like restaurants have been reinstated and those 12 years and older in organized sports must provide proof of vaccination.

"I don't think the modelling was a really great surprise in terms of the increases that we're expecting to see," said Sudbury's medical officer of health, Dr. Penny Sutcliffe.

"We knew with winter and going indoors that we would see more, of course in the north, the Sudbury area, Algoma, Timiskaming we're seeing even greater transmission so that is a concern."