60 new COVID-19 cases in Ottawa as Ontario records six-month high

OTTAWA -

Ottawa Public Health is reporting 60 new cases of COVID-19 in Ottawa on Friday as the province reports more than 1,000 new cases for the first time in six months.

Ontario health officials reported 1,031 new cases across Ontario on Friday, the most since May 30.

Ottawa had 62 new cases on Thursday, the most since early October, and 50 on Wednesday.

Hospitalizations in Ottawa remain steady, with 10 people in hospital with the virus on Friday, down from 11 on Thursday. Two people are in intensive care.

The number of active cases is up to 363.

The province’s rolling seven-day average is now 866, up from 711 at this time last week. Four new deaths across Ontario were also recorded.

Ottawa Public Health will release a full snapshot on the COVID-19 situation in Ottawa early Friday afternoon.

OTTAWA'S KEY COVID-19 STATISTICS

• COVID-19 cases per 100,000 (Nov. 25 to Dec. 1): 30.3 (up from 29.0)           
• Positivity rate in Ottawa (Nov. 26 to Dec. 2): 2.2 per cent (up from 2.1)
• Reproduction number (Seven day average): 1.02

Reproduction values greater than 1 indicate the virus is spreading and each case infects more than one contact. If it is less than 1, it means spread is slowing.

UNVACCINATED CASES

Of the 286 Ontario residents in hospital with COVID-19, 225 are not fully vaccinated or have an unknown vaccination status.

There are 146 people in Ontario ICUs with COVID-19. Of those, 119 are not fully vaccinated or have an unknown vaccination status.

COVID-19 VACCINES IN OTTAWA

Ottawa Public Health has updated its vaccination numbers to include children between ages five and 11, who are now eligible for the COVID-19 vaccine.

The healh unit releases vaccine numbers on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays.

As of Friday:

• Ottawa residents with 1 dose (5+): 860,401 (+5,608)
• Ottawa residents with 2 doses (5+): 814,745 (+758)
• Share or population five and older with at least one dose: 86 per cent 
• Share of population five and older fully vaccinated: 82 per cent

*Statistics on Ottawa residents with one or two doses include anyone with an Ottawa postal code who was vaccinated anywhere in Ontario.

ACTIVE CASES OF COVID-19 IN OTTAWA

There are 363 active cases of COVID-19 in Ottawa on Friday, up from 350 on Thursday.

Ottawa Public Health reported 47 more newly resolved cases of COVID-19. The total number of resolved cases of coronavirus in Ottawa is 31,179.

The number of active cases is the number of total laboratory-confirmed cases of COVID-19 minus the numbers of resolved cases and deaths. A case is considered resolved 14 days after known symptom onset or positive test result.

HOSPITALIZATIONS IN OTTAWA

There are 10 people in Ottawa area hospitals with COVID-19 related illnesses on Friday, down from 11 on Thursday. That includes two people in the ICU. 

Age categories of people in hospital:

• 0-9: 0
• 10-19: 0
• 20-29: 0
• 30-39: 0
• 40-49: 0
• 50-59: 1
• 60-69: 4 (1 in ICU)
• 70-79: 1
• 80-89: 3 (1 in ICU)
• 90+: 1

(Ottawa Public Health is now reporting people in hospital with an "active" infection)

COVID-19 CASES IN OTTAWA BY AGE CATEGORY

• 0-9 years old: 12 new cases (3,149 total cases)
• 10-19 years-old: 15 new cases (4,309 total cases)
• 20-29 years-old: Two new cases (7,085 total cases)
• 30-39 years-old: Nine new cases (4,917 total cases)
• 40-49 years-old: 11 new cases (4,215 total cases)
• 50-59 years-old: Four new cases (3,663 total cases)
• 60-69-years-old: Five new cases (2,168 total cases)
• 70-79 years-old: One new case (1,194 total cases)
• 80-89 years-old: One new case (905 total cases)
• 90+ years old: One new case (551 total cases)
• Unknown: Zero new cases (4 cases total)

VARIANTS OF CONCERN

Ottawa Public Health has added the new Omicron variant to its list of variants of concern.

• Total Alpha (B.1.1.7) cases: 6,850
• Total Beta (B.1.351) cases: 513
• Total Gamma (P.1) cases: 55
• Total Delta (B.1.617.2) cases: 1,221
• Total Omicron (B.1.1.529) cases: 4
• Total variants of concern/mutation cases: 12,319
• Deaths linked to variants/mutations: 122

*OPH notes that that VOC and mutation trends must be treated with caution due to the varying time required to complete VOC testing and/or genomic analysis following the initial positive test for SARS-CoV-2. Test results may be completed in batches and data corrections or updates can result in changes to case counts that may differ from past reports.

COVID-19 TESTING IN OTTAWA

The Ottawa COVID-19 Testing Taskforce says 2,651 swabs processed at assessment centres in Ottawa on Wednesday. A total of 3,629 lab tests were performed.

The average turnaround time from the time the swab is taken at a testing site to the result is 24 hours.

CASES OF COVID-19 AROUND THE REGION

• Eastern Ontario Health Unit: 15 new cases
• Hastings Prince Edward Public Health: 10 new cases
• Kingston, Frontenac, Lennox & Addington Public Health: 30 new cases
• Leeds, Grenville & Lanark District Health Unit: Six new cases
• Renfrew County and District Health Unit: 12 new cases

COVID-19 OUTBREAKS

Ottawa Public Health reports COVID-19 outbreaks at institutions and community outbreaks in Ottawa. There are five ongoing outbreaks in health care institutions and 19 in child care and school settings.

Community outbreaks:

• Workplace – Manufacturing: One outbreak

Schools and childcare spaces currently experiencing outbreaks: 

1. École élémentaire publique Marie-Curie (Nov. 5) 
2. Assumption Catholic elementary school (Nov. 8)
3. Académie Providence Soeurs Antonines (Nov. 16)
4. Carlington Recreation Centre - Licenced Childcare Centre (Nov. 17)
5. Le Carrefour - Services de garde agréés en Centre (Nov. 18)
6. Wee Watch - Licenced home childcare - Kanata (Nov. 18)
7. Chesterton Academy (Nov. 21)
8. St. Rita Elementary School (Nov. 21)
9. École élémentaire catholique d'enseignment personnalisé Lamoureux (Nov. 21)
10. Pinecrest Public School (Nov. 21)
11. Carson Grove Elementary School (Nov. 22)
12. Holy Redeemer Elementary School (Nov. 22)
13. Chapel Hill Catholic School (Nov. 23)
14. École élémentaire catholique St. François d'Assise (Nov. 24)
15. Inuuqatigiit licenced childcare - Overbrook (Nov. 25)
16. Notre Dame High School (Nov. 25)
17. Maryvale Academy of Ottawa (Nov. 26)
18. Frank Ryan Catholic Intermediate School (Nov. 26)
19. Farley Mowat Public School (Nov. 28)
20. Half Moon Bay Public School (Dec. 1) NEW

Healthcare and congregate settings experiencing outbreaks:

1. Portobello Retirement Residence (Nov. 3)
2. Rooming House (Nov. 12)
3. Chapel Hill Retirement Residence - 3rd floor (Nov. 13)
4. St. Patrick's Home - Floors 3, 4, 5 (Nov. 17)
5. The Ottawa Hospital Civic Campus - Unit B2 (Nov. 19)