Delta variant coming in hard as Niagara Region recorded 17 new COVID-19 cases today

As predicted weeks ago by Acting Medical Officer of Health Dr Mustafa Hirji, Niagara Region is getting hit hard by the Delta variant of COVID-19.

Hirji watched the Delta numbers climb in the United States and the UK over the past two months and said it was only a matter of time before it crossed into Canada.

With 17 new COVID-19 cases being recorded today (August 19), 89 per cent of all existing cases (145) in Niagara are the Delta variant.

Niagara now has five of its 10 municipalities with double-digit cases of COVID-19. St Catharines has 42 existing cases, followed by Niagara Falls at 31. Keep in mind that St Catharines had numbers in the teens while Niagara Falls was single-digits in cases as little as two weeks ago.

Thorold and Welland both have 16 existing cases followed by Lincoln with 14. Only Wainfleet is still recording zero cases.