The Middlesex-London Health Unit (MLHU) says a cluster of COVID-19 cases that involve the Omicron variant has now infected at least 50 people and 18 households.
The update was shared during a briefing hosted by the MLHU on Thursday, with acting medical officer of health Dr. Alex Summers telling reporters seven schools have been affected, two childcare centres are implicated and a large outbreak has taken place at a local church.
“We are also investigating potential Omicron cases that are not linked to this cluster, including at least one individual who screened positive for Omicron, but did not travel and is not linked to a traveller,” Summers added.
Summers noted that only “a few of those cases” in the initial Omicron cluster have been confirmed to contain the variant through whole genome sequencing, while the rest have been linked through a close contact investigation into the infections.
“Fifty per cent of those cases are fully vaccinated. Fortunately zero have been hospitalized,” Summers said of the large Omicron cluster.
The church involved is God’s Favourite House on Dearness Drive, which the MLHU identified when it first reported that the Omicron variant was likely involved in the cluster earlier this week.
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The following schools have been affected, according to the MLHU:
- St. Andre Bessette Catholic Secondary School
- St. Nicholas Catholic School
- St. Marguerite d’Youville Catholic School
- St. Mary Choir & Orchestra Catholic School
- Delaware Central Public School
- Princess Elizabeth Public School
- Sir Arthur Carty Catholic School
KidZone Daycare Centre and St. Theresa YMCA Child Care are also involved in the cluster.
The presence of Omicron in the cluster means more people have had to quarantine as a result of the MLHU’s protocol when dealing with the variant, according to Summers.
When dealing with a suspected Omicron variant, fully vaccinated people are required to quarantine with the goal of limiting transmission, however this is not a requirement when dealing with the Delta variant.
“What that means, though, is that teachers, for example, in some of these schools who are fully vaccinated who otherwise would not have to quarantine are quarantining,” Summers said.
“That causes operational challenges for some of those schools and that’s why we’ve some of those schools have to close because of challenges with staffing.”
The update comes as new recommendations from the MLHU, Huron Perth Public Health and Southwestern Public Health take effect.
The recommendations do not change the health protocols already in place by the Ontario government, but rather offer advice on how to limit the spread of COVID-19 over the holiday season.
They are as follows:
- Everyone limits indoor social gatherings in private dwellings to no more than 10 people. All attendees 12 years of age and older should be vaccinated.
- All unvaccinated individuals 12 years of age and older avoid any non-essential indoor contact with individuals who are not part of their household.
- Where possible, individuals work remotely.
Health officials say the recommendations will be reassessed in four weeks.
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