COVID-19 smashes new record with 718 new cases in Durham, including 177 in Oshawa

A week of new COVID case numbers mostly in the 400s ended yesterday with a new daily record – by a long shot – of 718 reported in Durham Region.

The new numbers – about a quarter presumed to be the highly contagious Omicron variant – pushes Durham’s active case count to 4,322.

Oshawa reported 177 new cases but Ajax (154), Whitby (132) and Pickering (111) also reported new case numbers over 100 Wednesday. Clarington reported 80, Uxbridge 17, Scugog 13 and Brock five, while there were 29 cases of unknown address.

Uxbridge’s numbers are particularly alarming in relation to the township’s population: the seven-day average is 651 per 10,000 people, or 6.5 people for every 100 are testing positive for the virus.

There are four people in Durham Region in hospital with one in ICU.

There are 11 long-term care homes and retirement residences with reported outbreaks including Port Perry Place with eight residents affected and Westney Gardens Retirement Residence with seven isolating. There are 10 schools and day care centres with reported outbreaks, including seven child care centres. Ten workplaces have also reported outbreaks, including four corporate/office locations.