COVID numbers holding steady or on decline in Oshawa and Durham Region

COVID-19 outbreaks in Durham Region’s long-term care homes, retirement residences and hospitals have nearly doubled in the past week but all other virus-related indicators are either holding steady or decreasing, according to new data released by Durham’s Health department.

There are 66 people currently in hospital with the virus (up one from last week) with one person in ICU. Twenty-nine of those patients are new. The total number of new cases of COVID-19 is 1,046, down 74 from the previous week.

The incidence rate per 100,000 is also down to 142.6 from 152.7 and with 5,656 tests performed during the week of April 17-23 the positivity rate dropped from 16.9 per cent to 16.3 per cent. The school absenteeism rates have also fallen. Last week they were 6.2 per cent for child care centres, 6.5 per cent for elementary schools and 4.5 per cent for the secondary schools. This week the rates are 5.1 per cent, 5.3 per cent and 3.9 per cent, respectively.

The only downside in the number of institutional outbreaks, which went up from 15 to 28.

There was one new death reported, bringing the toll since the pandemic began a little more than two years ago to 473.