Grey Bruce tops COVID-19 case counts in Ontario as Delta variant surges
Grey Bruce posted the highest number of COVID-19 cases in the province on Thursday, with 22 new infections reported, followed by Toronto with 18.
Grey Bruce managed to keep infection rates well below the provincial average throughout the pandemic, with fewer than five daily cases until the end of May, when one case of the Delta variant was reported that resulted in an outbreak at a rooming house in Hanover.
"That's where it started," said the region's medical officer of health, Dr. Ian Arra. "It is definitely different from the previous strains that we've dealt with and managed very well."
There are currently 151 active COVID-19 cases in the region.
Still, Arra believes they can get infection rates under control.
"In Grey Bruce, we have proven that we have the assets to manage the pandemic optimally, and that was reflected in the low number of cases and the low number of outbreaks and the low number of deaths throughout," he said.
DISADVANTAGED COMMUNITY MOST AT RISK
Arra noted the pandemic unmasked the need to support those less fortunate, adding the virus attacked the transient community.
"It's affected the most disadvantaged of us, people who have a challenge with homes, challenges with substance abuse, those are not things of their own choice," he said.
He also mentioned gatherings and parties as contributing factors to rising case counts.
"I do believe younger people are transmitting the virus when it happens innocently. They're not being aware at the moment that this behaviour is going to be part of a chain of transmissions that affect somebody else," Arra said.
GREY BRUCE TIPTOES INTO STEP 3
On July 16, when the province moved into a more lenient phase of its reopening plan, Grey Bruce's top doctor strongly recommended modifications to contain transmission.
Arra focused on large private gatherings, advising indoor groups remain at five people and outdoor gatherings stick to 25.
He also urged residents to forgo dining inside restaurants in favour of outdoor patios.
'PANDEMIC OF THE UNVACCINATED'
Arra said most of those infected were unvaccinated and urged residents to get their shots to protect themselves and others.
The health unit reports the vast majority, or 96 per cent of the nearly 300 cases reported between July 1 and July 15, were not fully immunized.
Public health cautions that a single infected individual spreads the Delta variant to six to nine others on average.
"This high efficiency in transmission is causing the surge," Arra said.
Residents 12 and older are eligible to book a COVID-19 vaccine New, over the phone, or by showing up at one of the walk-in clinics across the region.
WHERE TO FIND A WALK-IN CLINIC JULY 26 TO JULY 30
Several clinics across Grey Bruce offer no appointment vaccines to eligible residents as health officials ramp up immunization efforts.
Here's a list of where to find a walk-in clinic between July 26- July 30:
MONDAY
P&H Centre in Hanover - 12:00 pm to 8:00 pm
OSDSS in Owen Sound - 12:00 pm to 8:00 pm
Dundalk Community Centre in Dundalk - 3:00 pm to 7:00 pm
TUESDAY
P&H Centre in Hanover - 12:00 pm to 8:00 pm
OSDSS in Owen Sound - 12:00 pm to 8:00 pm
Flesherton Kinplex in Flesherton - 2:00 pm to 5:00 pm
WEDNESDAY
P&H Centre in Hanover - 12:00 pm to 8:00 pm
Davidson Centre Hub in Kincardine - 12:00 pm to 8:00 pm
Port Elgin Plex parking lot in Port Elgin - 3:00 pm to 7:00 pm
Ripley Community Centre in Ripley - 3:00 pm to 7:00 pm
THURSDAY
P&H Centre in Hanover - 12:00 pm to 8:00 pm
OSDSS in Owen Sound - 12:00 pm to 8:00 pm
Sauble Beach Community Centre in Sauble Beach - 3:00 pm to 7:00 pm
FRIDAY
P&H Centre in Hanover - 12:00 pm to 8:00 pm
OSDSS in Owen Sound - 12:00 pm to 8:00 pm
Dr. Ian Arra said without vaccines as high as 85 per cent or more, the Delta variant will continue to run rampant.
"The way out of the current surge, or the way out of any situation related to the Delta is with higher level of coverage with vaccines," he said.
"We have a surge that is serious. We have all the resources that we need to deploy. I have confidence in the public of Grey Bruce," Arra concluded.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
From outer space? Sask. farmers baffled after discovering strange wreckage in field
A family of fifth generation farmers from Ituna, Sask. are trying to find answers after discovering several strange objects lying on their land.
Pearson gold heist suspect arrested after flying into Toronto from India
Another suspect is in custody in connection with the gold heist at Toronto Pearson International Airport last year, police say.
Justin and Hailey Bieber are expecting their first child together
Hailey and Justin Bieber are going to be parents. The couple announced the news on Thursday on Instagram, both sharing a video that showcases Hailey Bieber's growing belly.
New analysis of Beethoven's hair reveals possible cause of mysterious ailments, scientists say
High levels of lead detected in authenticated locks of Ludwig van Beethoven's hair suggest that the composer had lead poisoning, which may have contributed to ailments he endured over the course of his life, including deafness, according to new research.
Debate on abortion rights erupts on Parliament Hill, Poilievre vows he won't legislate
A Conservative government led by Pierre Poilievre would not legislate on, nor use the notwithstanding clause, on abortion, his office says, as anti-abortion protesters gather on Parliament Hill.
B.C. man used Bobcat as 'weapon' while chasing away homeless people, judge says
A B.C. man has been convicted of assault with a weapon after using a skid-steer Bobcat to chase two homeless people from his lawn, injuring one of them in the process.
Ontario family receives massive hospital bill as part of LTC law, refuses to pay
A southwestern Ontario woman has received an $8,400 bill from a hospital in Windsor, Ont., after she refused to put her mother in a nursing home she hated -- and she says she has no intention of paying it.
Flat tire on a highway? Here's why you shouldn't try to fix it
If you're cruising down a highway and realize you have a flat tire, you may want to think twice before stopping to fix it on the side of the road.
Miss Teen USA steps down just days after Miss USA's resignation
Miss Teen USA resigned Wednesday, sending further shock waves through the pageant community just days after Miss USA said she would relinquish her crown.