Active COVID case counts continue to fall in Durham but the virus is till deadly with one more Ajax death added

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Published January 26, 2022 at 4:26 pm

COVID active case numbers continue to plummet, hospital numbers are dropping and new case numbers remain relatively low. But COVID-19 is turning deadly with a second death added from Monday’s totals as the virus reminds us it is not finished with us yet.

The death – in Ajax – marks nine in the past seven days and 411 in Durham since the pandemic was declared. Provincially, yesterday marked the second deadliest day in COVID history with 92 deaths reported, trailing only the 100 deaths from January 15, 2021.

Active case numbers dropped nearly 1,500 yesterday after falling more than 3,200 the day before. Hospitalization numbers fell to 151, with 16 in ICU and 34 under investigation. New cases are up slightly to 220, with Oshawa (47) and Pickering (46) leading the wave.

There are 33 institutional outbreaks (up two) with 135 people isolating (down 12). The biggest outbreaks are at Hillsdale Estates at 38 (down four), Bay Ridges at 16 (down three) and Orchard Villa with 12.

Absenteeism at schools and day cares is now being reported on a weekly basis. For the week of January 16-22 (the first week back), absentee rates at child care centres was 5.1 per cent; at elementary schools it was 2.3 per cent; and at secondary schools it was 2.7 per cent.

There remains one lingering retail workplace outbreak.

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