COVID numbers in Oshawa, Pickering, Clarington on the rise again

The easing of restrictions and the re-opening of retail and recreational facilities is starting to show up in Durham’s COVID-19 numbers as new cases have begun to climb and even the active case count – which dropped by some 7,000 in the past ten days or so – is starting to climb back up.

Yesterday’s new case count 195, up from 178 yesterday and double the numbers from the weekend. The active case count is now 1,424, up 75 from Tuesday.

Outbreaks in some long-term care homes are starting to rise as well, as new cases are being added just as health care officials were getting ready to declare the particular outbreak resolved. The number of outbreaks is actually down one to 26, but the number of people affected is up to 81, from 69 Tuesday.

There are two outbreaks with ten or more people affected: Bon Air (13) and Abbeylawn (10). There were zero Tuesday.

Lakeridge Health is reporting 120 people in hospital with the virus with 10 in ICU and 75 ‘under investigation.’

Oshawa once again led the new case count with 54 new positive tests. Pickering (38) and Clarington (370 were next highest.