Six new COVID cases in Oshawa
Oshawa has six new cases of COVID-19.
The positive cases were reported on Sept. 8, according to the Durham Region COVID-19 Data Tracker on the region’s website. There was also another positive case reported on Sept. 6.
This brings the total positive cases for Oshawa to 301.
Currently, there are no Oshawa cases in hospital, however, eight residents are in home isolation. In total, 270 of the 301 cases in Oshawa have been resolved.
In the last seven days, there have been 42 new cases reported across the region, including 10 new cases on Sept. 9.
To date, there have been 1,950 confirmed cases of COVID-19 in Durham Region. Of those, one person is currently in hospital in the ICU, 48 people are in home isolation, 1,720 cases have been resolved, and there have been 181 deaths.
Durham Region’s Medical Officer of Health Dr. Robert Kyle released a statement recently with an update to the Durham Region community on the COVID-19 pandemic.
“As the provincial government has lifted numerous restrictions under Stage 3 and more businesses and facilities continue to reopen, the potential for community exposure to COVID-19 has increased,” he states, noting information from across the province indicates community transmission is now occurring more among individuals under 30 years old.
Kyle says through case and contact management and surveillance processes, the health department found that one-quarter of the region’s currently active cases are between 20 and 29 years old.
He says while case numbers in all age groups have been decreasing since the peak of the pandemic in April and May, currently people under 30 are accounting for 35 per cent of cases in August, compared to only 11 per cent in April.
In August, the health department reported almost all cases under 20 years old acquired COVID-19 through a household contact; that half the cases between 20 and 29 years old acquired the virus somewhere in the community with the source of infection unknown; and 30 per cent of reported cases in Clarington were 20 to 29 years old – the highest proportion of all Durham Region municipalities.
Kyle wants to encourage younger people in the community to download the COVID Alert App, a tool that notifies the user of their potential exposure to COVID-19.
“We’ve seen the COVID-19 Alert App effectively being used locally, as we’ve been told by individuals in our community that they made the decision to get tested after receiving an alert through the app and subsequently tested positive,” states Kyle.
He notes the COVID Alert App is just one part of the effort to limit the spread of COVID-19, adding everyone should continue to follow all public health guidelines and recommendations.
“Continue to stay informed, practice physical distancing, wash your hands frequently and thoroughly, avoid touching your eyes, nose and mouth, and wear a non-medical mask or face covering in all indoor, enclosed public spaces.”
For more information or to track real-time numbers for COVID-19 cases in Durham Region, visit www.durham.ca/covid19.