Algoma Public Health's continuing to report rising COVID-19 cases.
The health unit's added 33 - all in the Sault Ste. Marie area - bringing the health unit to 1121 total, with a record (for the health unit) 353 "active", including sixteen in hospital.
Speaking Monday, Medical Officer of Health Dr. Jennifer Loo noted it currently has an average of 170 cases per 100,000 people - far above the 130 per 100,000 provincial average when Ontario went into a state of emergency - adding "the present amount of cases that we're seeing is largely driven by community transmission and a lot of unprotected, close contact activities", with hopes that recently reintroduced restrictions limiting social gatherings and organized public events to ten people indoors or 25 outdoors, suspending close contact extracurricular activities in Sault Ste. Marie schools, and strengthening masking and physical distancing measures for certain businesses and organizations in the Sault will help stem the spread.
Dr. Loo says it will take at least one or two weeks to assess if the current restrictions are enough, suggesting more could be on the way if cases don't plateau, like in the neighbouring Sudbury district.
Public Health Sudbury and Districts has added 82 cases since Friday - 77 in Greater Sudbury, one in the Sudbury District, and four in the Manitoulin District - bringing it to 3801 total, though the number "active" is down by one, to 287.
It has eighteen "active" outbreaks, all in Greater Sudbury.
PHSD's holding vaccination clinics at its Chapleau office tomorrow and Thursday, both by appointment only.