Niagara's top doctor says there is a glimmer of positive news as Ontario enters another week of stay-at-home measures.
Acting Medical Officer of Health, Dr. Mustafa Hirji tells CKTB the provincial data shows we may have flattened out the third wave case count, and numbers could be on the way down.
Hirji says it will take a few more days to know for sure if numbers will consistently drop.
He describes a similar picture in Niagara, saying there is a small inkling that we may have reached the peak.
He says the biggest driver of local cases continues to be an infected family member bringing the virus into the household, and small gatherings inside homes.
Hirji says another reason cases continue to climb is because the variant spreads easier.
He says one COVID-19 case usually leads to two other people getting infected, while variant cases usually leads to three others getting sick.
Over the last week there has been an average of 175 new COVID cases in Niagara daily.
81 people are being treated in hospital in Niagara, 21 are in the ICU.