Low-risk exposure and 28 new cases reported Monday

Algoma Public Health (APH) reported 28 new confirmed cases of COVID-19 (#891 – #918) Monday, all from Sault Ste. Marie and area.

In addition, APH is advising of a low-risk exposure at Galaxy Cinemas:

Movie: Clifford the Big Red Dog
Showtime: November 14th at 3:50 PM

Additionally, any individuals who attended the arcade area between the hours of 5:30 PM – 6:30 PM on November 14th, 2021.

Actions to take:

Any individual who was present on the date and times listed in the potential low-risk exposure is asked to:

• Self-monitor for signs and symptoms of COVID-19 for 10 days from potential exposure.
• Self-isolate immediately if symptoms develop.
• Seek testing if symptoms occur.

The current number of active cases increased to 283 while the number of cases hospitalized remains at 17. APH continues to advise that evidence of community spread is occurring across the District.

Due to increasing rates of COVID-19 in the Algoma District, APH is receiving assistance from case and contact managers who may be from the provincial workforce or a partner health unit. If you are a case or a high-risk contact, you may receive a call from a case/contact manager from outside of Algoma Public Health.

Details of Confirmed Cases:

Case Number	Exposure Category	Status	Tested
Case #891	Unknown	Self-isolating	November 21, 2021
Case #892	Close Contact	Self-isolating	November 19, 2021
Case #893	Unknown	Self-isolating	November 19, 2021
Case #894	Close Contact	Self-isolating	November 19, 2021
Case #895	Unknown	Self-isolating	November 19, 2021
Case #896	Close Contact	Self-isolating	November 19, 2021
Case #897	Under Investigation	Under Investigation	Under Investigation
Case #898	Unknown	Self-isolating	November 22, 2021
Case #899	Close Contact	Self-isolating	November 21, 2021
Case #900	Under Investigation	Under Investigation	Under Investigation
Case #901	Close Contact	Self-isolating	November 20, 2021
Case #902	Close Contact	Self-isolating	November 20, 2021
Case #903	Close Contact	Self-isolating	November 20, 2021
Case #904	Close Contact	Self-isolating	November 20, 2021
Case #905	Close Contact	Self-isolating	November 21, 2021
Case #906	Unknown	Self-isolating	November 21, 2021
Case #907	Close Contact	Self-isolating	November 21, 2021
Case #908	Under Investigation	Under Investigation	Under Investigation
Case #909	Close Contact	Self-isolating	November 21, 2021
Case #910	Close Contact	Self-isolating	November 21, 2021
Case #911	Under Investigation	Under Investigation	Under Investigation
Case #912	Close Contact	Self-isolating	November 21, 2021
Case #913	Close Contact	Self-isolating	November 21, 2021
Case #914	Under Investigation	Under Investigation	Under Investigation
Case #915	Under Investigation	Under Investigation	Under Investigation
Case #916	Close Contact	Self-isolating	November 21, 2021
Case #917	Travel	Self-isolating	November 19, 2021
Case #918	Close Contact	Self-isolating	November 22, 2021

Status of cases in Algoma:

View current situation in Algoma and the updated status of cases in Algoma.

Algoma regions with COVID-19 cases reported in the past 14 days include:

• Sault Ste. Marie and area
• Central and East Algoma

Unknown exposure means the person did not have recent international travel or close contact with a known confirmed case. How the person acquired the virus is not known.

Close contact means the person acquired their infection through close contact with a known confirmed case. For example, living together with a case, or spending more than 15 minutes with a case while less than 2 metres apart, are considered high risk close contact exposures.

International travel means the person acquired their infection from travel outside of Canada.

COVID-19 Activity in Northern Ontario

Region	Rate of Cases per Week* (cases per 100,000 population)
Algoma Public Health	125.0
North Bay Parry Sound District Health Unit	12.3
Northwestern Health Unit	2.3
Porcupine Health Unit	12.0
Sudbury & District Health Unit	98.5
Thunder Bay District Health Unit	4.0
Timiskaming Health Unit	48.9
Week of: November 10 – November 16, 2021

*only includes confirmed cases

COVID-19 Activity in Northern Michigan

Region	Rate of Cases per Week* (cases per 100,000 population)
Upper Peninsula	179.7
Chippewa County	91.0
Mackinaw County	111.2
Week of: November 9 – November 15, 2021

*only includes confirmed cases

Critical Actions:

• Anyone who is ill, even with mild symptoms, must stay home and self-isolate away from others.
• As of September 22, 2021, you must be fully vaccinated and provide proof of vaccination to access certain indoor businesses and settings. Learn where you will need to show proof of vaccination, and how to get and use your vaccine receipt at: covid-19.ontario.ca/proof-covid-19-vaccination
• Ontario is currently in Step 3 of Ontario’s Three-Step Roadmap to Reopen. This three-step plan to safely and gradually lift public health measures based on ongoing progress of province wide vaccination rates and improvements of key public health and health care indicators.
• If you are considering going to a private gathering, indoor or outside, the Public Health Agency of Canada (Healthy Canadians) released recommendations on things to keep in mind. When out in public, like workplaces, public transit and stores, continue to follow public health guidance that has been put in place to minimize the risk of spread. Wear your mask, practice physical distancing and wash your hands.
• Regardless if you are unvaccinated, partially vaccinated, or fully vaccinated, if you are sick or have symptoms, you should stay home and get tested for COVID-19.
• As of October 2, 2020, the mandatory masking policy was extended to all of Ontario for all indoor settings across the province, such as businesses, facilities and workplaces.

Immunization Status of Cases

Between July 1, 2021 – October 20th, 2021 there were 86 cases of COVID-19 reported in Algoma. Of these, 19 cases (22.1%) were in fully vaccinated individuals and 67 cases (77.9%) were in unvaccinated or partially vaccinated individuals.

For more information about vaccine effectiveness and the reporting of case numbers, check out APH’s infographic Vaccine Effectiveness: Beyond the case numbers.

VOC update:

VOCs continue to circulate in Algoma. VOCs are concerning because, depending on what type of mutations are present, they may spread more aggressively, lead to more severe disease, or have reduced vaccine efficacy. Results from additional laboratory testing have detected the following VOCs in Algoma:

• B.1.1.7 (Alpha), first detected in the UK
• B.1.617.2 (Delta), first detected in India
• P.1 (Gamma), first detected in Brazil

Since July 2021 the predominant strain of COVID-19 present in Algoma has been the Delta Variant (B.1.617.2). Public Health Ontario estimates that in the first week of September, 2021 the majority (93.3%) of COVID-19 cases in Ontario had a mutation profile (N501Y- & E484K-) consistent with the Delta Variant. For more information about VOC surveillance in Ontario, visit Public Health Ontario’s VOC Surveillance page.

Editor’s Note: This story has been corrected to read 32 cases, not 31 as originally reported.