The Northwestern Health Unit says we haven’t yet hit the peak of the current wave of COVID-19.
Medical Officer of Health Dr. Kit Young Hoon says our positivity rate is increasing, and until that goes down, we can expect more hospitalizations.
“Our percent positivity is increasing. So that needs to be monitored to see if it will eventually come down,” states Dr. Young Hoon. “We also need to look at hospitalization numbers because the peak of hospitalizations tends to occur after the peak in case numbers, so I don’t believe we’ve reached our peak at this point.”
The COVID positivity rate is 23.5 percent, but Dr. Young Hoon says that shows the importance of getting vaccinated because fewer people are ending up in hospital.
“Particularly with the omicron (variant) with this particular wave, that vaccinations are very effective in reducing the number of people being hospitalized,” says Dr. Young Hoon.
In the last report on Wednesday, there was no one identified being in hospital but the Meno Ya Win Hospital in Sioux Lookout confirmed two patients testing positive in the last 14 days for COVID-19.
This has prompted health officials and the Northwestern Health Unit to declare an outbreak.
