COVID continues to linger in northwestern Ontario.

Data from Public Health Ontario identifies almost 3 thousand confirmed cases through PCR testing conducted within the Northwestern and Thunder Bay District Health Units this year.

The data does not take into account the results of rapid tests normally not reported to health officials.

Public Health Ontario also notes fifteen people have died this year after contracting the virus.

The most recent case occurred in May within the Northwestern Health Unit catchment area.

Most of the victims were 70 years of age or older.

One person within the Northwestern Health Unit’s catchment area was a female under the age of 20.

The data also shows over 80 per cent of people have received two vaccines, but the number falls to under 50 per cent of those getting additional booster shots.

Since the first case in March 2020, there have been 15,566 confirmed cases within the Northwestern Health Unit catchment area.

The Thunder Bay District Health Unit has seen 19,366 cases.