6th COVID wave is gradually decreasing, but infection rates remain high

Jeff Green | May 18, 2022

Dr. Piotr Oglaza, the Medical Officer of Health in Kingston, Frontenac, Lennox and Addington, brought some muted good news to a media briefing last week.

Detection of Omicron in municipal wastewater, which Dr. Oglaza said has been providing “excellent information with regard to disease activity” has been in decline and he also said the hospital data has been “very reassuring”.

However, the continued high rate of infection, 506 active cases among the limited number of people who are eligible for testing, and a 11% positive testing rate, were also on his mind.

“The 6th wave is gradually decreasing, we are not in the clear yet, and activity is still high in the region.”

Hopefully, he said, in the coming weeks, aided by the warm weather which makes all respiratory diseases less prevalent, disease activity in the region will drop to a very low level.

“Until then, all of the measures that people have been following, all along, staying home when sick, hand hygiene, masking, will continue to be effective.”

“The high rate of vaccination in the region, including the highest rate of booster uptake in the province, has provided the best layer of protection for those who are among the most at risk of severe disease,” he said.

Unfortunately, the death rate from COVID-19 in the region continues to rise, with 6 deaths in the seven day period ending on Thursday, May 12, even as the provincial death rate keeps dropping.

Even though, for confidentiality reasons, KFL&A Public Health (KFLAPH) does not release details about individuals, Dr. Oglaza indicated that the bulk of the COVID deaths in KFL&A over the past few months, have been among the most senior and frail among us.

“It is a sad reality. People whose immunity is compromised by virtue of advanced age, are the most vulnerable. Infections, including COVID, that might not result in severe illness among the younger, healthier population, can result in pneumonia, and there is also a risk of death in this population. The situation would be much worse if we did not have so many layers of protection in place.”

Community vaccine clinics are scheduled in communities across the region in the coming weeks, and pharmacies are also offering vaccination services for all eligible residents

“We recommend that people take advantage of all the vaccination doses that they are eligible for,” said Dr. Oglaza.

Thanks to changes in provincial requirements for case tracking, and other changes in the demands on the resources of KFLAPH, the agency has been able to begin addressing a backlog in other services, such as dental screening, and childhood immunization. Efforts to deal with other critical issues, such as what has been identified widely as an opioid crisis in the region, are able to be better resourced as well.