COVID numbers take dramatic upward turn with 125 new cases reported, including 38 in Whitby and 30 in Oshawa

COVID-19 numbers continue to explode as the Omicron variant makes it presence well known in Durham with 125 new cases reported in the region yesterday, bringing the seven-day total to exactly 500.

Whitby continues to lead the outbreak race with 38 new cases Wednesday but Oshawa, with 30, is not far behind. Clarington reported 23 new cases while Pickering reported 20. There were eight positive cases of the virus in Ajax and four in Uxbridge. Scugog reported one and there was one case with an unknown address. Brock reported zero new cases.

The active case total in Durham Region stands at 509 – the highest in recent memory – but there are just two people in hospital with one in intensive care.

School outbreaks are where many of the new cases are coming from with 19 now reported involving 37 children. There are eight schools now closed in Durham Region.

There are now nine workplace outbreaks in Durham, with three fitness centres, two retail outlets and one location each in the construction, corporate, manufacturing and agriculture sectors. There are still two residents at Sunnycrest Nursery Home in Whitby isolating, the only long-term care home affected.

Vaccinations for children aged 5-11 is already above 30 per cent, which should help slow down the numbers a bit and people are actively seeking out the booster shots which are now available. More than 95 per cent of those aged 70 and up are now fully vaccinated while the percentage for those 12 and over stands at 87.3.