Ontario sees 1,536 new COVID cases, estimated 30.8% caused by omicron variant

Ontario reported 1,536 further cases of COVID-19 on Monday, as the province's science advisory group estimated that 30.8 per cent of all new infections are being caused by the omicron variant.

Today's case count is a 73 per cent jump over the same time last week. The seven-day average of daily cases has climbed to 1,328, its highest point in more than six months and a 41 per cent rise from last Monday.

According to Ontario's COVID-19 Science Advisory Table, cases due to omicron are on pace to double every three days.

That means by the end of the week, omicron could account for roughly 50 per cent of all infections in the province. Within 10 days, it will likely account for more than 95 per cent of all new cases, said Peter Jüni, the group's scientific director, in an interview with CBC News Network.

Twenty-nine of Ontario's 34 public health units are currently reporting exponential growth in new cases. 

Jüni said the transmissibility of omicron should compel the province to ramp up its booster shot campaign as quickly as possible for all adults.

Real-world data suggests a third dose, for those who had their second more than three months ago, offers robust protection against severe illness from the variant, Jüni said. As of Sunday, 1,128,482 people in Ontario had received a third dose or a booster shot.

There are also hopeful signs that omicron may not cause as severe illness as previous variants, such as delta, though Jüni cautioned it is still too early to know for certain.

A new report from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention found that out of the 43 omicron cases identified in 22 states in early December, just ​​one person needed a brief hospital stay, and there were no reported deaths from the variant.

Moreover, despite record-high case counts, scientists in South Africa have not yet seen evidence that omicron is causing more serious illness, which could either be a sign of things to come or a delay in the true impact it will have there. 

Jüni pointed out that in Gauteng, the South African province hit hardest by omicron, up to 93 per cent of those infected with the variant had some degree of immunity already, either from a previous infection or via vaccination.

He said there is currently no evidence to suggest that it could result in milder infections for unvaccinated people here in Ontario. 

As of Sunday evening in Ontario, there were 161 people being treated for COVID-related illnesses in intensive care units, down somewhat from 165 last Monday. Of those in ICU, 90 needed help from a ventilator to breathe.

WATCH | Peter Jüni discusses how Ontario can combat the spread of omicron: