COVID-19 Immunization Tracker
Updated by 3:30 pm EST (every second Tuesday)

Information has been gathered from COVax-Ontario. It represents a snapshot at the time of extraction and is subject to change over time. Our immunization tracker provides information on Algoma's COVID-19 vaccination coverage. The data provided will change over time to align with the focus of the vaccine rollout in Ontario.

Learn more about the COVID-19 vaccine and the clinics currently being offered in Algoma.

Immunization Uptake and Population Coverage in Algoma

COVID-19 Wastewater Surveillance

Algoma Public Health participates in the Ontario Wastewater Surveillance Initiative, which is coordinated and hosted by the Ministry of the Environment, Conservation and Parks (MECP). Wastewater surveillance involves measuring the amount of virus in wastewater by collecting samples from wastewater treatment plants and pumping stations. These findings can provide a pooled estimate of COVID-19 infection trends in the community.

For those with an active COVID-19 infection, the virus is shed through their stools whether an individual is symptomatic or asymptomatic. The amount of the virus shed can vary by individuals in addition to the individuals’ stage of illness, with progression from pre-symptomatic stage through to recovery. Additionally, with current limitations in PCR testing eligibility, wastewater data will include COVID-19 infections that are not lab-confirmed cases. Researchers can use the trends in the viral loads in wastewater along with other indicators (ie. hospitalizations, ICU counts, and mortality) to make informed decisions about potential interventions.

Algoma Wastewater Surveillance Results - Sault Ste. Marie East End Wastewater Treating Plant

PUC Services Inc. collects the wastewater samples from the Sault Ste. Marie East End Wastewater Treatment Plant, approximately three times a week. The Sault Ste. Marie East End Wastewater Treatment Plant serves about 52 000 people. The samples are analyzed at the Health Sciences North Research Institute in Sudbury. The results cannot be extrapolated to areas outside of the area served by the wastewater treatment plant.

The Health Sciences North Research Institute (HSNRI) tests for SARS-CoV-2 genome regions called N1 and N2, in concentrated untreated wastewater extracts. The proportion of the wastewater from humans and the proportion that is rain water, snowmelt etc., can fluctuate. Researchers use viral copy data to be normalized using a seasonally stable fecal biomarker; called Pepper Mild Mottle Virus (PMMoV). Data is extracted from Ontario’s Wastewater Surveillance Data and Visualization Hub. The data in the graph is the biomarker-normalized mean of N1N2. A 7-day moving average is used to smoothen out the data.

This information should be interpreted cautiously, particularly when interpreting daily and short-term variation in viral signal results. Trends in case counts and wastewater can inform public health recommendations, however due to the limited eligibility of PCR testing, this data is not fully reflective of true case counts. At this time, due to a limited sample size, the wastewater data does not correlate with hospitalizations and mortality in Algoma.

Variants of Concern (VOC) Update