The number of COVID patients being treated at the Chatham-Kent Health Alliance has inched up once again today.
There are now 21 patients with the virus, 11 of whom are being treated primarily for COVID.
Three COVID patients are in the ICU and 1 in the hospital’s progressive care unit.
During a media update on Thursday, Chatham-Kent Medical Officer Dr. David Colby said while the Omicron wave may be on a downward slope, the numbers show the pandemic isn’t over.
“Only by following this with time can we determine whether this is a blip or a sustained trend we have to potentially deal with,” Dr. Colby said. “It is certainly a reminder that we’re not out of the woods yet. This is not over yet.”
Public Health is reporting 56 new cases of COVID-19 across Chatham-Kent since the last update on Wednesday with the seven-day average down to 27 cases a day. Officials stress numbers are an underestimate of actual case counts due to reduced testing parameters.
There are still three active outbreaks across the municipality, including a group home, the medicine unit at the Health Alliance, and Meadows of Wheatley retirement residence.