KENORA – A steady decline in active COVID-19 cases continued in the Northwestern Health Unit on Friday, as the agency reported a single confirmed case in its Kenora health hub.
That area, which also includes a number of smaller municipalities and First Nations, has accounted for 12 of the 13 cases reported by the NWHU over the past week.
Many of the cases are in Kenora itself, distributed in several clusters of individuals, said NWHU medical officer of health Dr. Kit Young Hoon.
There were 18 active cases confirmed across the health unit as of Friday, with 13 in the Kenora hub, four in the Sioux Lookout hub, and a single case in the Atikokan hub.
There were no active cases in the Dryden, Emo, Fort Frances, Rainy River, or Red Lake health hubs.
Two NWHU residents were in hospital with the virus on Friday, up from one earlier this week.
That represents an encouraging trend, said Young Hoon, after active cases in the NWHU topped 80 in late April, and remained above 50 until mid-May.
“It’s very positive, and I think it is an indication that many people are following public health measures, which is great,” she said at a Friday press conference. “It could also be due to the benefits of more people being vaccinated.”
About 60 per cent of those aged 12 and above have now received at least a first dose of a COVID-19 vaccine, though that’s not yet enough to truly prevent transmission at a community level, Young Hoon said.
A lack of vaccine uptake remained a concern in the health unit, with appointments not booked “as fully as we would like,” Young Hoon acknowledged.
Health authorities continue to offer walk-in vaccine clinics as a result of the unfilled appointments.
Residents can find information on how to book a vaccination as well as the dates of upcoming clinics in their communities at the health unit's website.
