Niagara’s COVID-19 outlook brightens — but death toll rises
Slowly, Niagara’s COVID-19 landscape is beginning to brighten, slightly.
With one glaring, tragic exception.
The number of new cases dropped by nearly one-quarter in the past week — to 750 — from the previous seven-day total of 978.
With 91 new cases reported Sunday, it’s third time in a week the daily count stayed below 100. And the 1,509 active cases recorded Sunday is nearly 250 fewer than the same day last week.
But the coronavirus death toll continues to climb dramatically, according to Niagara Region Public Health.
Seven more deaths were reported Sunday, bringing the total to 261 since the pandemic started in mid-march.
However, 119 of those have occurred since Dec. 31, including 38 in the past week.
That reinforces the province’s decision to focus on finishing first-dose vaccinations for seniors in long-term-care and atrisk retirement homes, even as it postpones shots for healthcare workers due to a shortage of the Pfizer vaccine.
Public health staff continue to strongly urge people to obey the province’s stay-at-home order and go out in public only when necessary, to limit spread of the coronavirus.
Public health staff have now provided vaccinations at all 32
of Niagara’s long-term-care homes, as well as assisted-living centres Deer Park Villa, Heidehof Home for the Aged and Niagara Ina Grafton Gage Village.
Ontario reported 2,417 new cases Sunday, and its seven-day count is also lower than the week previous.
Across Niagara, numerous outbreaks continue.
On the weekend, Niagara Health declared all outbreaks have ended at Greater Niagara General Hospital, and an outbreak on Unit 4A at St. Catharines hospital is over.
However, an outbreak continues on the sixth-floor unit at Welland hospital where six patients have died. The extended care unit at Welland hospital is also in outbreak.
Also, Unit 2A and the emergency department at St. Catharines hospital are in outbreak, but the emergency department remains open.
Several other hospital outbreaks continue, including at Hotel Dieu Shaver Health and Rehabilitation Centre in St. Catharines and at Grimsby’s West Lincoln Memorial Hospital in the C Ward.
Numerous long-term-care and retirement homes are also in outbreak.
In Niagara Falls, at Greycliff Manor, R.H. Lawson Salvation Army Eventide Home, Meadows of Dorchester, Oakwood Park Lodge, Chippawa Creek at Bella Care Residence, Monarch Memory Care and Millennium Trail Manor.
In St. Catharines, at Heidehof Home for the Aged, Henley House, Radiant Care Tabor Manor long-term care, Tufford Manor, Pioneer Elder Care, Linhaven nursing home, Royal Henley Retirement Residence, Tufford Nursing Home, Extendicare, Garden City Manor.
In Niagara-on-the-lake, at Niagara Long-term Care Residence and at Pleasant Manor long-term care. In Lincoln at Albright Manor, and in Grimsby at Shalom Manor.
In Welland at Villa de Rose Retirement Suites, Rapelje Lodge and Seasons Retirement Communities. In Pelham, at Lookout Ridge Retirement Community and in Thorold at Cobblestone Retirement Residence.
In Fort Erie at Crescent Park Lodge and Maple Park Lodge. And in Port Colborne at Northland Pointe nursing home.