COVID-19: Provincial & Federal Briefings - Aug. 1 - 5, 2022
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A summary of developments from Monday, August 1 to Friday, August 5, 2022 follows.
Federal Government
Government of Canada and Air Industry Work on Reducing Congestion in Airports?
On August 3, the Minister of Transport, the Minister of Health, the Minister of Public Safety, and the Minister of Tourism issued a joint statement on efforts to increase resources and streamline processes across the air industry to ease airport congestion and help keep travellers moving, including:?
Canadian Centre for Occupational Health and Safety (CCOHS) COVID-19 Resources
Throughout this pandemic, CCOHS, in partnership with the Public Health Agency of Canada, has developed a variety of products/services to help provide high-level COVID-19 related guidance in relation to public health, infection prevention, occupational safety guidance, training, and knowledge transformation to support a wide range of employment sectors and organizations across Canada.
COVID-19 Prevention for Workers:
The “Employer Series”:
Infographics:
As well as the following Temporary Foreign Workers resources:
All CCOHS COVID-19 Health and Safety Resources are available here and on the CCOHS Safe Work App in both English and French.
Information on Coronavirus disease (COVID-19) from the Public Health Agency of Canada
There are a number of updated resources available on the Public Health Agency of Canada website for the public including an Outbreak Update and the COVID-19 Virtual Assistant: Coronavirus disease (COVID-19). Your organization may also be interested in:
COVID-19 information:
Coronavirus disease (COVID-19):?Travel restrictions, exemptions and advice
Coronavirus disease (COVID-19):?Awareness resources
For any questions: [email protected]
COVID-19 Data Trends?????
The Canadian COVID-19 statistics were last updated this morning at 9:00 a.m. EST.?
In the past week, the Public Health Agency of Canada (PHAC) reported 28,596 new COVID-19 cases, and 208 new deaths in Canada: bringing the cumulative total of cases to 4,084,728 and a total of 42,901 deaths.??????
Update on monkeypox in Canada?
The Canadian monkeypox statistics include information up to Wednesday August 3, at 1:00 p.m. EDT.?
The Public Health Agency of Canada (PHAC)?reported a total of 890 confirmed cases of monkeypox?in Canada: 423 in Ontario, 373 in Quebec, 78 in British Columbia, 13 in Alberta, 2 in Saskatchewan, and 1 in Yukon.?
Monkeypox in the United States?
On August 4, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) Secretary Xavier Becerra declared the ongoing spread of monkeypox virus in the United States as a Public Health Emergency. Fifty-one jurisdictions in the U.S. have signed data use agreements that will provide Centers for Disease Control and Prevention with information related to vaccine administration.?The declaration will be a part of the larger strategy to help combat the monkeypox outbreak.
This week’s announcement from the White House follows World Health Organization’s statement last month declaring that the multi-country outbreak of monkeypox represents a public health emergency of international concern.
Ontario?
COVID-19 Data Trends??????
The COVID-19 statistics for Ontario were last updated on Thursday, August 4.???
?As of Thursday, there were 1,488 people with COVID-19 in hospitals. That's down from 1,513 at the same time last week. Of those patients, 139 were being treated in intensive care.???
Over the course of the last seven days, the estimated number of daily COVID-19 cases was 1,744, marking no increase of cases for the same time last week. Another 77 Ontarians with COVID-19 died in the last seven days.???
Currently, 90.7% of Ontarians, aged 5 or older have received at least one dose of a COVID-19 vaccine and 87.5% have received both doses. In addition, 62.5% of people aged 18 or older are vaccinated with three doses.?
Monkeypox in Ontario?
According to the epidemiological summary released by Public Health Ontario, there are 449 confirmed cases of monkeypox in Ontario as of August 4. This marks an increase of 123 cases since July 25.?
Out of 449 confirmed cases, 347 cases were reported by Toronto Public Health. 447 cases are male; 2 cases are female. The average age of confirmed cases is 36 years. 13 of those with confirmed cases have been hospitalized, 2 have been in the intensive care unit, and no deaths have been reported.?
Quebec
On August 4, National Director of Public Health Dr. Luc Boileau held a press conference to provide an update on COVID-19 in the province.
Dr. Boileau announced that the COVID-19 situation is improving in Quebec. While the transmission rate is diminishing across all age groups, he clarified that this seventh wave is not over yet.
Dr. Boileau also announced that a new vaccination campaign is set to commence on Monday, August 15. This new campaign will have healthcare workers travelling directly to long-term care facilities and private senior residences in a bid to make vaccines increasingly available to the province’s most vulnerable communities. Lastly, Dr. Boileau reiterated that Quebecers should catch up on their booster shots if more than five months have elapsed since their last vaccine.
Santé Québec reported 8,503 new cases with 65 virus-related deaths in the last 7 days. There was a net weekly decrease of 67 hospitalizations, bringing the total number of people being treated in hospital with the virus to 2,109. There was also a net decrease of 11 patients in intensive care in the last 7 days, bringing the total to 57.
More than 20.3 million vaccine doses have been administered to Quebecers residing in and outside the province. The Santé Québec COVID-19 dashboard shows that 91% of the total eligible people aged 5 years and older have received their first vaccine dose and 56% have received their third dose, while 18% of the total eligible people have received their fourth vaccine dose.
Alberta
The province of Alberta released updated COVID-19 statistics this week. As of August 1, 2022, on a 7-day average, 702 people were hospitalized with COVID-19, 28 of which are currently in intensive care. There were 214 new cases reported this week, making the positivity percentage on a 7-day average 22.3%. 90.7% of the population 12 years of age and older is vaccinated with at one dose of a COVID-19 vaccine. 87.2% of the population 12 years of age and older is vaccinated with two doses of a COVID-19 vaccine.
British Columbia
The province of British Columbia released updated COVID-19 statistics this week. As of August 4, 2022, on a 7-day average, 410 people are currently hospitalized with COVID-19, of which 38 are in critical care. As of July 30, 2022, there have been 28 new COVID-19 related death this week and 983 new cases. 14, 324 new tests were completed this week, bringing the average testing rate in the province to 2, 046 per 100, 000.
Canada’s COVID-19 Tracker reported this week that 12, 206, 980 doses have been administered in British Columbia in total. 86.784% of all people in British Columbia have received at least one dose of a COVID-19 vaccine and 84.131% of all people in the province have received at least two doses of a COVID-19 vaccine. Only 53.639% of all people are fully vaccinated with a third dose.
A CBC news article reported on August 3, 2022, that the province opened up immunization appointments to children 4 years of age and younger in the next phase of the COVID-19 defense. Only the Spikevax mRNA vaccine, produced by the pharmaceutical firm Moderna, has been approved by Health Canada for children under five. The dosage allowed for this age group is a quarter of what people over 12 years of age receive. Children between six months of age and four years of age are recommended to get two vaccinations, four weeks apart.?
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