The number of active cases of COVID-19 continues to fall in Chatham-Kent.
On Thursday morning, CK Public Health reported seven new cases and 18 resolved cases to drop the number of active cases by 11 to 80. The number of outbreaks remains at nine -- six in workplaces, one institutional, and two in congregate living. There are five deaths linked to the virus and five local people in the hospital with COVID-19. CK Medical Officer of Health Dr. David Colby said he would like to see fewer actives cases but "really" likes the fact they're trending down.
"Whether we're getting over the surge that resulted from people not adhering to public health guidelines over the holidays or whether this is a result of the provincial lockdown, I don't know. I haven't been able to break that down any farther," he said. But later added it's probably a combination of both.
Chatham-Kent has reached a total of 1,046 confirmed cases since the pandemic started in mid-March.
Dr. Colby also said he hasn't received any confirmation from the province about when the vaccines will be arriving in Chatham-Kent. He has previously said he believes they will arrive by the end of January and has requested 5,000 doses to start the vaccine rollout. But things have changed recently with Pfizer retooling its Belgium vaccine plant to produce more doses in the future.
"Retooling of the plant in Belgium has thrown all plans into disarray, " said Colby.
The first to receive the vaccine in Chatham-Kent will include health care workers, residents, staff, essential caregivers and other employees of congregate living settings. CK Public Health said there are 1,000 residents living in local long-term care and retirement homes, 1,240 staff caring for them, and 450 essential caregivers who would be eligible to get the vaccine when it arrives in the area.
Meanwhile, the CEO of the Chatham-Kent Health Alliance said all designated staff has now been fully redeployed to the Intensive Care and Critical Care Units to handle the COVID-19 surge after elective and non-urgent surgeries were postponed a few weeks ago. Lori Marshall also said no hospital staff has been redeployed to help local long-term care homes with their staffing levels during the current surge.