A new study on recent COVID-19 cases in Ontario suggests that the Omicron variant is less likely to cause hospitalization or death than the Delta variant, but could still have a significant impact on healthcare systems due to its high transmissibility.
The Public Health Ontario study comes as the province has set multiple records for daily COVID-19 infections in rapid succession, with the latest peak, 13,807 new infections, reported Thursday.
The agency identified 6,314 Omicron cases that saw symptoms arise between November 22 and December 17, and compared them to Delta cases based on age, sex and onset date.
It found that after adjusting for vaccination status and region, the risk of hospitalization or death was 54 percent lower for Omicron than for Delta.
“Omicron appears to be the first dominant variant to demonstrate a decrease in disease severity,” the study said.
“While the severity may be reduced, due to Omicron’s transmissibility, the absolute number of hospitalizations and the impact on the healthcare system are likely to be significant.”
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On Thursday, 965 people were hospitalized with COVID-19, including 200 people in intensive care, Health Minister Christine Elliott said. The seven-day average of COVID-19-related patients in the ICU is now 179, he said.
“The data is being updated to distinguish patients in the hospital / ICU for COVID-19 from those admitted for other reasons but with positive results,” added Elliott.
The province also recorded three new deaths from COVID-19.
Even as the daily case count rises, health experts have said the actual number may be much higher than reported due to holidays and with hospitals and testing centers under pressure.
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At least one public health unit in the Toronto area has asked residents to complete a survey if they test positive for a rapid antigen test. York Region Public Health said the move would ensure it can have “the necessary information to respond to the pandemic” and better understand the use of rapid tests in the region.
The public health unit also told residents to isolate themselves immediately and be considered to have COVID-19 due to delays in PCR testing.
In Ottawa, public health officials said the increase in COVID-19 cases and contacts has “exceeded the capacity of testing and case management operations.”
They advised residents who tested positive on a rapid antigen test to self-isolate for at least 10 days and until symptoms resolved, but said not to report the results of the rapid test to Ottawa Public Health.
In northwestern Ontario, a First Nation declared an emergency and issued a call for support in the face of a COVID-19 outbreak.
Officials from Bearskin Lake First Nation, located approximately 425 kilometers north of Sioux Lookout, Ontario, said there are 26 positive cases of COVID-19 within the community, which has a reserve population of less than 400 people.
“We are requesting additional nursing support, support for logging operations as members are running out of timber, support to deliver food to the isolated and community security,” the First Nation said in a notice declaring the emergency. .
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Ontario’s Top Physician To Make An Announcement Thursday Amid Rise In COVID Cases
Meanwhile, Ontario’s chief physician will make an announcement on the province’s response to the pandemic on Thursday afternoon.
Dr. Kieran Moore was initially scheduled to hold a press conference Tuesday to share the new rules on COVID-19 testing and case management, but the event was postponed so officials could review the changes to the guidelines. isolation and quarantine in the United States.
Ontarians also expect the province to announce whether children will return to school in person or online next week in light of the recent surge in cases caused by the highly infectious variant of Omicron.
Some provinces have decided to extend the winter holidays for some or all students, while others have chosen to switch to virtual learning as of next week.
The new rules also went into effect Thursday at long-term care homes in the province, putting a hiatus in access to long-term care homes for general visitors and daytime absences for all residents for purposes. social.
Designated caregivers, however, can continue to enter long-term care homes.
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© 2021 The Canadian Press
Reference-globalnews.ca