COVID cases explode in Durham with 77 new cases reported – 21 in Whitby

The fourth wave is very much upon us, with new COVID-19 virus cases in Durham nearly doubling yesterday, with 77 new cases reported, numbers the region hasn’t seen since late spring.

Whitby reported the biggest outbreak with 21 new cases reported. It is unknow how many of these cases are from the new Omicron variant, which has proven to be somewhat resistant to the vaccines. Ajax was close behind with 19, while Pickering reported 13 new cases and Oshawa and Clarington 11 each.

There are four residents in hospital and two in ICU. The active case count has risen to 296.

There are eight outbreaks at schools and day cares, with a facility-wide outbreak forcing the closure of Ajax High School. EE Corpus Christi in Oshawa has been closed since November 21. Happy Tots Nursery in Oshawa is one of the facilities affected by the recent outbreaks, with four children testing positive for the virus.

There are still two residents at Sunnycrest Nursing Home Home in Whitby self-isolating and the number of workplace outbreaks is now at five, with multiple positive tests reported in the construction, corporate and manufacturing sectors, as well as in two retail outlets.