Town sees third-highest infection rate in Niagara
Figures released Saturday, April 24, by Niagara Region Public Health, show that there are now 121 active cases of COVID-19 in Pelham, yet another new high during the 14-month long coronavirus pandemic, and up two from Friday's previous high of 119.
In active per capita infections, Pelham has 67.2 per 10,000 population, which is third highest in Niagara behind Welland (86) and Port Colborne (76.9).
Public Health announced that there were 169 new cases across the Region on Saturday, bringing the total number of active infections to 2,458. The daily count is down from Friday's 189, Thursday's 208, and Wednesday's 197 new cases. Over half of all active cases are among those 39 and younger.
Eighty-eight patients are hospitalized, an increase of five from Friday. Of these, 15 are in intensive care.
Since the start of the pandemic, Niagara has seen 13,029 infections, with 387 deaths directly attributable to the virus. Deaths related to but not exclusively the result of COVID are not tracked.
COVID-19 variants account for the overwhelming majority of new infections. Variants have been identified as both more transmissible and more virulent.
Some 2979 Niagara residents have been vaccinated so far, with Pfizer-BioNTech and Moderna distributed at the three clinics held so far at Pelham's community centre. Niagara's Acting Medical Officer of Health Dr. Mustafa Hirji encourages residents to make vaccination bookings as soon possible.
"It’s also important for everyone to continue practicing public health measures to help stop the spread of COVID-19," Hirji told the Voice. "Everyone, including those who have had the vaccine, should wear a mask, wash hands often, stay at least two metres from others, avoid gathering with people they don’t live with, and only go out for essential purposes."
The province remains under an emergency lockdown order, in which residents are instructed to stay at home unless they are required to leave for essential reasons, defined as getting food, medicine, or attending a doctor's appointment or vaccination clinic.
UPDATED Saturday, April 24, with current numbers from Niagara Region Public Health.
