The first week of the new year has brought with it two more COVID-19 related deaths in Chatham-Kent.
The latest weekly report from the Chatham-Kent Public Health Unit on Wednesday showed two deaths linked to COVID-19 from January 1, 2023 to January 7, 2023. The latest deaths bring the total number of local COVID-19 deaths to 96 since the start of the pandemic in March of 2020.
The health unit also reported three new COVID-19 outbreaks during that week. According to public health officials there are 10 cases at the Chatham-Kent Health Alliance Rehabilitation Unit, one case at Hudson Manor Retirement Home in Tilbury, and four cases at Blenheim Community Village Long Term Care Facility. Two COVID-19 outbreaks declared December 30, 2022 continue. There are 17 cases at the Chatham-Kent Health Alliance Medicine Unit and four cases at Tilbury Manor Nursing Home.
Public health unit data showed that only 51 per cent of the population in Chatham-Kent have three doses of the COVID-19 vaccine with the older demographic, 60 years of age and older, making up most of that number. Officials reported 51,952 residents have had their booster, but only three per cent of the population 5-11 have had their third shot and 12 per cent of those 12-17 have had their three doses.
Chatham-Kent's Interim Medical Officer of Health Dr. David Colby told CK News Today the bivalent boosters should cover the new "Kraken" strain of omicron very well. Colby said it seems more transmissible, but not more virulent.
"Until the COVID-19 pandemic is over, it is prudent to get boosted every 5 to 6 months," said Colby. "Immunity to coronaviruses is short lived. Immunization has been moderately effective in preventing COVID-19 infection, but remains extremely effective in preventing severe COVID-19 infection syndromes, hospitalization, and death due to COVID-19."
Chatham-Kent Public Health said it has administered 253,294 COVID-19 vaccines to date.
There have been a total of 134 COVID-19 outbreaks in Chatham-Kent and 10,807 confirmed COVID-19 cases since the beginning of the pandemic 34 months ago, according to local public health statistics.
