COVID-19: Here's the situation in the Sault this week (updated)

New daily cases in the province ranged this week between a high of 2,338 and a low of 1,176 *note: not all symptomatic people are being tested in accordance with new Ontario guidelines.

Ontario's chief medical officer of health says mask mandates will be removed by the end of March as long as positive public health trends continue.

Dr. Kieran Moore says the province can "only mandate masking for so long," with the risk from COVID-19 decreasing.

He says Ontario has a very high vaccination rate, hospitalizations have been declining, and he believes the worst is behind us.

Here's the latest on new cases in Algoma

As of 2:45 p.m., Algoma Public Health has not reported any new cases of COVID-19.

The latest cases of the virus in the region were reported at 2:45 p.m. today.

Here are the latest COVID-19 numbers from Algoma Public Health, updated at 3:25 p.m. on Mar. 3:

• 239,932 tested
• 5,334 confirmed *Note: As of Dec. 31, 2021, the province has limited COVID-19 PCR testing to the highest risk populations. Furthermore, some people with mild or asymptomatic infection may not seek testing. Algoma Public Health states that the numbers of confirmed cases are an underestimate of the actual number of people with COVID-19 in the Algoma region.
• 615(3) active cases *Note: the number in brackets are cases in a non-Algoma resident currently in the region.
• 10 currently hospitalized 
• 4,719 resolved
• 34 deceased

Algoma Public Health is reporting that recent results from additional laboratory testing have detected the following variants of concern in Algoma:

• B.1.1.7 (Alpha), first detected in the UK
• B.1.617.2 (Delta), first detected in India
• P.1 (Gamma), first detected in Brazil
• B.1.1.529 (Omicron), first detected in South Africa 

Total confirmed cases by area of residence: 

• 4,369 in Sault Ste. Marie and area
• 541 in central and east Algoma
• 203 in Elliot Lake and area
• 221 in north Algoma

Comparatively, in Chippewa County, which covers Sault Ste. Marie Mich. and surrounding area, the COVID-19 data as of Mar. 2 states (note: case counts have been reset to reflect new reporting format. Cases from March 2020-Dec. 31, 2021: 5,275 total, 4641 recoveries, 69 deaths):

• 3,084 cumulative positives 
• 3,173 cumulative recovered
• 27 deaths
• 2 cases currently hospitalized

Here's the latest on COVID-19 vaccinations in Algoma:

As of 3:30 p.m. on Mar. 3:

• Population coverage

  % of total population that has received at least one dose	84.8%
  % of total population that have received at least two doses	81.1%
  % of eligible population (5+) that has received at least one dose	88.5%
  % of eligible population (5+) that have received at least two doses	84.6%
  % of adult population (18+) that have received at least one dose	91.1%
  % of adult population (18+) that have received at least two doses	88.7%
  % of adult population (18+) that have received at least three doses	61.3%
  % of youth population (12-17) that have received at least one dose	84.4%
  % of youth population (12-17) that has received at least two doses	81.0%
  % of child population (5-11) that have received at least one dose	59.6%

APH reported cases this week:

29 new active cases, no new hospitalizations reported on Feb. 27. 

Region's 32, 33 COVID-related deaths reported on Feb. 28. 

Hospitalizations decrease, 64 new active cases reported on Mar. 1. 

Region's 34th COVID-related death reported on Mar. 2. 

Hospitalizations decrease, 50 new cases reported on Mar. 3. 

Region's 35th COVID-related death reported on Mar. 4. 

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