An upbeat Dr. Jim Chirico says the indicators are trending in the right direction as the majority of locals continue to do what needs to be done for themselves and for those around them in the midst of a public health crisis.
As the COVID-19 pandemic lurches toward its third year, the cautiously optimistic medical officer of health kicked off the North Bay Parry Sound District Health Unit‘s Thursday press conference saying, “It’s is nice to have some good news.”
Chirico notes the spread of the virus has been slowed by vaccinations and public health measures such as wearing a mask or face covering, maintaining physical distancing, and frequently washing hands.
“It’s very positive that many of the indicators are in a downward trajectory,” Chirico advises, “and that’s really good news for everybody. Based on that, I’m in favour of loosening the restrictions. People must continue to follow the public health restrictions in place and we need to get as many people vaccinated as we can but we’re in a really good place right now. We’ll continue to monitor it closely and if anything changes we’ll have to adjust.”
The situation in Ontario is improving as the province continues to weather the Omicron variant wave. The key indicators — hospitalizations, ICU admissions, and deaths — are heading in the right direction, he says.
As of Wednesday, one person is hospitalized locally due to COVID-19 and two others hospitalized for other reasons are also positive. Hospitalizations in the district due to COVID-19 have reduced by 90 per cent over the past two weeks when compared to the prior two-week period. In Ontario, there are 1,594 people hospitalized, a decrease of 30 per cent in the past week.
The district’s percent positivity is at 13.5 per cent, according to Dr. Carol Zimbalatti, a Health Unit public health physician.
“One in every seven or eight people who receive a PCR test will get a positive result,” she says. “This has stayed consistent since our last update, 14 days ago. The provincial percent positivity is around 10 per cent.”
“We have seen an increased burden in terms of deaths during the Omicron wave — more than in any other previous wave — and I think this does speak to the number of cases that we’ve had,” Zimbalatti advises. “Proportionately, we are seeing a higher number of deaths, even though, overall, Omicron causes less severe illness. If it infects enough people — especially vulnerable individuals — it will cause severe illness and death in some.”
Although individual case details will not be shared, generally, the deaths “have been in the older age groups and with comorbidities,” says Zimbalatti.
Chirico says the data shows the number of deaths has been lessened by the widespread vaccination of vulnerable populations plus third and fourth dose boosters for the highest-risk individuals, especially during the highly-infectious Omicron wave.
“Make sure you are vaccinated, especially with a booster shot, if you are eligible,” adds Zimbalatti. “We do know that reduces transmission and reduces serious illness. It’s also important for individuals to assess what measures are appropriate for them to take over and above the current recommendations when socializing outside the home and with others.”
“The vaccines were really a tremendous benefit to have during this pandemic,” Chirico concludes.
TORONTO – Health Canada has authorized Moderna’s updated COVID-19 vaccine that protects against currently circulating variants of the virus.
The mRNA vaccine, called Spikevax, has been reformulated to target the KP.2 subvariant of Omicron.
It will replace the previous version of the vaccine that was released a year ago, which targeted the XBB.1.5 subvariant of Omicron.
Health Canada recently asked provinces and territories to get rid of their older COVID-19 vaccines to ensure the most current vaccine will be used during this fall’s respiratory virus season.
Health Canada is also reviewing two other updated COVID-19 vaccines but has not yet authorized them.
They are Pfizer’s Comirnaty, which is also an mRNA vaccine, as well as Novavax’s protein-based vaccine.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published Sept. 17, 2024.
Canadian Press health coverage receives support through a partnership with the Canadian Medical Association. CP is solely responsible for this content.
VANCOUVER – Mayors and other leaders from several British Columbia communities say the provincial and federal governments need to take “immediate action” to tackle mental health and public safety issues that have reached crisis levels.
Vancouver Mayor Ken Sim says it’s become “abundantly clear” that mental health and addiction issues and public safety have caused crises that are “gripping” Vancouver, and he and other politicians, First Nations leaders and law enforcement officials are pleading for federal and provincial help.
In a letter to Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and Premier David Eby, mayors say there are “three critical fronts” that require action including “mandatory care” for people with severe mental health and addiction issues.
The letter says senior governments also need to bring in “meaningful bail reform” for repeat offenders, and the federal government must improve policing at Metro Vancouver ports to stop illicit drugs from coming in and stolen vehicles from being exported.
Sim says the “current system” has failed British Columbians, and the number of people dealing with severe mental health and addiction issues due to lack of proper care has “reached a critical point.”
Vancouver Police Chief Adam Palmer says repeat violent offenders are too often released on bail due to a “revolving door of justice,” and a new approach is needed to deal with mentally ill people who “pose a serious and immediate danger to themselves and others.”
This report by The Canadian Press was first published Sept. 16, 2024
The Canadian government says it will donate up to 200,000 vaccine doses to fight the mpox outbreak in Congo and other African countries.
It says the donated doses of Imvamune will come from Canada’s existing supply and will not affect the country’s preparedness for mpox cases in this country.
Minister of Health Mark Holland says the donation “will help to protect those in the most affected regions of Africa and will help prevent further spread of the virus.”
Dr. Madhukar Pai, Canada research chair in epidemiology and global health, says although the donation is welcome, it is a very small portion of the estimated 10 million vaccine doses needed to control the outbreak.
Vaccine donations from wealthier countries have only recently started arriving in Africa, almost a month after the World Health Organization declared the mpox outbreak a public health emergency of international concern.
A few days after the declaration in August, Global Affairs Canada announced a contribution of $1 million for mpox surveillance, diagnostic tools, research and community awareness in Africa.
On Thursday, the Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention said mpox is still on the rise and that testing rates are “insufficient” across the continent.
Jason Kindrachuk, Canada research chair in emerging viruses at the University of Manitoba, said donating vaccines, in addition to supporting surveillance and diagnostic tests, is “massively important.”
But Kindrachuk, who has worked on the ground in Congo during the epidemic, also said that the international response to the mpox outbreak is “better late than never (but) better never late.”
“It would have been fantastic for us globally to not be in this position by having provided doses a much, much longer time prior than when we are,” he said, noting that the outbreak of clade I mpox in Congo started in early 2023.
Clade II mpox, endemic in regions of West Africa, came to the world’s attention even earlier — in 2022 — as that strain of virus spread to other countries, including Canada.
Two doses are recommended for mpox vaccination, so the donation may only benefit 100,000 people, Pai said.
Pai questioned whether Canada is contributing enough, as the federal government hasn’t said what percentage of its mpox vaccine stockpile it is donating.
“Small donations are simply not going to help end this crisis. We need to show greater solidarity and support,” he said in an email.
“That is the biggest lesson from the COVID-19 pandemic — our collective safety is tied with that of other nations.”
This report by The Canadian Press was first published Sept. 13, 2024.
Canadian Press health coverage receives support through a partnership with the Canadian Medical Association. CP is solely responsible for this content.
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