COVID-19 continuing to claim lives in Niagara

Niagara Health on Tuesday reported the deaths of two more patients with COVID-19 at its hospitals, as cases of the coronavirus slowly decrease in the region.

The hospital system said the Niagara residents died on Friday and on Monday. That’s in addition to five deaths reported Monday and six last week.

Since the start of the month, 24 patients have died while being treated for the virus.

There were 58 COVID-19 patients in hospital, including two in intensive care — down from 67 patients being treated for the virus on Monday. Forty of the patients were being treated primarily for other conditions.

Niagara Health hospitals continue to operate at above capacity, with 104.4 per cent of acute-care beds occupied as of Friday.

Meanwhile, 91 hospital staff and physicians were off work Tuesday, self-isolating after potential exposure to the virus.

Despite slowly decreasing cases of the virus in the region, Niagara Region acting medical officer of health Dr. Mustafa Hirji continued to urge residents to protect themselves from infection.

“Our new normal doesn’t have to be more waves, infections, disruption, long COVID,” Hirji posted on Twitter, while sharing a column he wrote published in the Globe and Mail about adapting society to become more resistant to the virus.

He also shared a New York Times article warning about the risks of re-infection and waves of infection returning two or more times a year.

“We should strive to keep COVID-19 at bay as we live our lives; not live with it and its impacts everpresent. Let’s make the sustainable adaptations to get there,” Hirji tweeted.

Public health reported 1,089 known active infections Tuesday, down from 1,128 on Monday.

Two more outbreaks were resolved, leaving 12 ongoing in the region, including at long-term-care homes.

There are two outbreaks each at Niagara Falls and Welland hospitals, one in the St. Catharines oncology department and one at Port Colborne hospital.