Tougher COVID-19 measures will hit Greater Sudbury tomorrow.
Acknowledging "rapidly rising" case counts in the city, Public Health Sudbury and Districts' Medical Officer of Health, Dr. Penny Sutcliffe, has announced businesses and organizations in Greater Sudbury (but not the rest of its coverage area) will need to reinstate capacity limits and related physical distancing requirements, strengthened masking requirements at indoor and outdoor organized public events, and requiring proof of vaccination for anyone twelve or older actively participating in organized sports, not just coaches or officials.
Sutcliffe acknowledges "no one wants to hear this news" but emphasizes "we need to turn back the clock and protect people and the health system" by implementing these "circuit-breaker" protections aiming to "interrupt chains of transmission within the community and protect local businesses and workers by - we hope - avoiding any need for more drastic measures", noting the recent surge isn't driven by any single setting or setting, requiring broader measures to address the widespread transmission, which is especially prevalent among those age 18 to 39, for whom vaccination rates are low and case rates high.
Even before announcing new figures on Monday, PHSD was reporting its highest amount of "active" cases since April 2020, and had the highest rate of active cases of any health unit in Ontario.
Monday's figures show the health unit's 33rd COVID-19-related death - no further details are given except that it's in Greater Sudbury, like all other COVID-related deaths reported by the health unit.
The figures also show 121 new cases in Greater Sudbury since Friday - and another in the Sudbury District - bringing the health unit's total to 3122, with 257 "active": one in the Manitoulin District; one in the northern part of the Sudbury District, which includes Chapleau, Foleyet, Gogama, and neighbouring First Nations; four in the western part of the Sudbury District; and the remaining 251 in Greater Sudbury.
The health unit also notes 103 more cases confirmed or presumed to be variants of concern, bringing that total to 1703.
PHSD's holding an "appointment only" vaccination clinic at its Chapleau office tomorrow.
Algoma Public Health - meanwhile - is reporting thirteen new cases in the Sault Ste. Marie area, bringing the health unit's total to 583, with 68 "active", including two in hospital.
It's also warning of potential "low-risk" exposure for those who attended Friday's Soo Greyhounds game at GFL Memorial Gardens in the Sault.