The Northwestern Health Unit reported 59 new COVID-19 cases on Thursday, continuing an upward trend, while reported hospitalizations increased for the first time this week.
Active cases rose to 259 across the NWHU. By region, that included 96 in Kenora, 55 in Dryden, 46 in Sioux Lookout, 38 in Red Lake, 14 in Fort Frances, six in Emo, three in Atikokan, and one in Rainy River.
Of the cases reported Thursday, 27 were in the Kenora region, 13 in Sioux Lookout, seven in Red Lake, six in Fort Frances, and three each in Atikokan and Dryden.
Among the communities hit by new cases was Bearskin Lake First Nation, north of Sioux Lookout, which declared a state of emergency as COVID cases rose to 39 on Thursday.
The number of NWHU residents in hospital with the virus rose from four to six on Thursday, according to the health unit.
The Lake of the Woods District Hospital, in Kenora, reported it had five COVID-positive patients as of Wednesday morning, with none at that time admitted to the ICU. The NWHU has not yet responded to an inquiry from TBNewswatch about the discrepancy with its publicly posted numbers, which sat at four Wednesday.
NWHU medical officer of health Dr. Kit Young Hoon suggested Wednesday that hospitalizations and ICU admissions would give a clearer picture of the severity of the pandemic than case counts going forward, with the Omicron variant expected to send case counts soaring, but potentially cause less severe illness.
