Oshawa reports 17 new COVID cases with Durham totals down slightly to 61

New COVID-19 cases dropped from 77 to 61 Thursday but remain high as Durham residents battle through the latest wave of the virus.

Oshawa reported the highest number of new cases with 17 on a day when every municipality – including the northern, sparsely populated townships, reported at least one case. Whitby reported a dozen new cases of the virus, Pickering and Ajax reported ten each and Clarington six. Uxbridge (2), Scugog (1) and Brock (1) also reported positive tests yesterday.

Two cases of the virus are from residents of unknown address.

School and daycare outbreaks rose to 10, affecting 18 students. Ajax High School and EE Corpus Christi in Ajax remain closed. The outbreak at Corpus Christi is now 19 days old.

There is one resident remaining at Sunnycrest Nursing Home in Whitby who is self-isolating and the number of workplace outbreaks has increased to seven, including three retail outlets and two fitness centres.

The percentage of children aged 5-11 who have received their first shot is now 25.3 per cent, which is promising considering the kids-sized vaccine has only been available in Durham for two weeks.