Active COVID cases continue to fall in Durham; one more death in Pickering

Active COVID cases continue to plummet in Durham while the virus took one more life yesterday.

The death occurred in Pickering, which reported just 33 new cases Wednesday – the lowest of the Region’s big five lakeshore municipalities. Oshawa led – as it has done for several weeks – with 65 new cases while Brock Township, which normally reports a handful or fewer new cases, reported 11 yesterday to go with 10 the previous day. There were 266 new cases in total in Durham, which is up a bit from yesterday.

The fatality brings Durham’s death count to 412 since the pandemic was declared.

The active case count is down another 900 cases or so to 2,915 as the isolation period ends and the cases get resolved, which does bode well for the future. Institutional cases are up one to 34 but the number of people affected in long term care homes and retirement residences is down to 125 from the 135 reported yesterday.

The biggest outbreak is still at Hillsdale Estates in Oshawa at 38, which is ten down from yesterday. Other major outbreaks are at Bay Ridges (19); two outbreaks at Lakeridge Health Ajax-Pickering totalling 18 patients and staff; Abbeylawn Retirement Centre (9) and Viva Whitby Shores (8).