COVID-19 cases drop 25 per cent in Mississauga as residents celebrate Thanksgiving
Published October 8, 2021 at 2:12 pm
With the number of COVID-19 cases continuing to decline, Mississauga and other Ontario municipalities are in much better shape this Thanksgiving weekend compared to last year’s holiday, says Mayor Bonnie Crombie.
In releasing the latest numbers yesterday for Mississauga and Peel, Crombie and Dr. Lawrence Loh, the Region of Peel’s medical officer of health, said despite reason for optimism that the worst of the pandemic’s fourth wave may have passed, Mississauga and Brampton residents must remain vigilant and continue to follow safety protocols.
As of Thursday, there were 30 cases of COVID-19 per 100,000 population in Mississauga, compared to 40 cases one week ago. Peel-wide, 27 cases were recorded this week, down from 33 per 100,000 seven days earlier.
“That’s a 25 per cent decline in seven days (in Mississauga), and for more than a month now the numbers have been in steady decline,” said Crombie, adding hospitalizations for the virus in Mississauga are also down.
Of 19 COVID-19 patients at Mississauga’s two hospitals, five are in intensive care, said Crombie.
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In Peel, 81 per cent of eligible residents (those aged 12 and older) have now been fully vaccinated, which mirrors the rate across Ontario.
“The reason we’re in this (stable) position is because so many people have gotten the vaccine,” said Crombie, adding her and Loh remain committed to getting that number to at least 90 per cent.
“One year ago at Thanksgiving, we were on the precipice of the second wave (of the pandemic) where the number of cases was going way up,” continued Crombie. “Today, cases are declining.”
Loh said while well over 200,000 Peel residents are still not fully vaccinated, he’s optimistic that number will continue to drop as “thousands of residents are coming forward each week for their first dose.”
Those people will be able to get their second shots, and thereby become fully vaccinated, in another eight weeks.
“We’ve come a long way in a year,” said Loh. “While (Thanksgiving) celebrations won’t be back to normal just yet, they will be different (in a positive way).”
Loh urged people to keep gatherings small, and outdoors where possible. He reminds residents that provincial regulations still limit indoor gatherings to 25 and outdoor events to 100 people.
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