Changes to Ottawa Public Health COVID-19 reporting

Ottawa Public Health is changing its daily COVID-19 dashboard reports to emphasize weekly trends and focus on hospitalization data over information gleaned from PCR testing.

Certain figures, including the estimated reproduction number (Rt) and data on variants of concern, will no longer be reported, due to existing data no longer representing an accurate picture of COVID-19 in Ottawa.

Vaccination data, reflected on a separate dashboard, will be updated weekly on Mondays. OPH will also no longer update COVID-19 figures on weekends.

OPH says it will continue to report case counts, based on PCR testing, COVID-19 related deaths, and hospitalizations because of active infections. Outbreaks in settings such as long-term care homes and hospitals will also still be updated.

The changes come the same day the Ontario government announced an end to the provincial mask mandate in most settings on March 21, and in all settings by April 27. OPH says it is reviewing the changes from the province.

In Wednesday's report, OPH reported zero new deaths and a drop in the number of people currently in hospital because of an active infection.

There are eight residents in hospital currently being treated because of an active infection, down from 10 on Tuesday. No one is in the ICU because of an active case.

Local hospitals each report their number of patients who have tested positive for COVID-19, regardless of whether that was the reason for hospitalization. Here are the figures from local hospitals as of Wednesday:

• CHEO: Two patients
• Montfort Hospital: Seven patients
• Queensway Carleton Hospital: Six patients
• The Ottawa Hospital: 21 patients

OPH reported 170 new lab-confirmed cases of COVID-19 in Ottawa on Wednesday. Daily case counts are considered an underrepresentation of the amount of COVID-19 in the community because of ongoing restrictions on who is eligible for testing. There are 865 known active cases.

The latest data from Ottawa's COVID-19 wastewater monitoring project shows a slight downward trend in the first few days of March following a lengthy plateau in February, though the viral signal level remains roughly where it was in mid-December. 

Graph representing COVID-19 wastewater viral signal in Ottawa. Data last reported 2022-03-07. (613covid.ca/wastewater/)

Across Ontario, health officials reported a decline in hospitalizations with COVID-19. There are 751 residents hospitalized with COVID-19, including 241 in the ICU, marking a fourth straight day of fewer than 250 ICU patients with COVID-19.

Twenty-seven additional deaths provincewide were also reported in the province's report Wednesday. The province says, starting Friday, the way COVID-19 deaths are reported will change. Deaths will be divided into three categories: whether COVID-19 contributed to a death, whether COVID-19 caused a death, or if the cause of death is unknown or missing from provincial data. It's unclear at this time if OPH will follow suit. 

OTTAWA'S KEY COVID-19 STATISTICS

• COVID-19 cases per 100,000 (March 1 to 7): 78.3 (up from 71.5)       
• Positivity rate in the Ottawa community (excluding long-term care homes) (March 2 to 8): 14.4 per cent (up from 13.9 per cent)  
• Known active cases: 865 (+3)

HOSPITALIZATIONS IN OTTAWA

Eight Ottawa residents are in hospital because of an active COVID-19 infection on Wednesday, down from 10 on Tuesday. No one is in the ICU.

Age categories of people in hospital are no longer available. 

 

COVID-19 hospitalization in Ottawa in 2022
Infogram

COVID-19 VACCINES IN OTTAWA

These figures are updated every Monday.

• Ottawa residents with 1 dose (5+): 913,500 
• Ottawa residents with 2 doses (5+): 873,442 
• Ottawa residents with 3 doses (12+): 553,649 
• Share of population five and older with at least one dose: 92 per cent
• Share of population five and older fully vaccinated: 88 per cent

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

AROUND THE REGION

• Eastern Ontario Health Unit: 3 in hospital, 0 in ICU
• Hastings Prince Edward Public Health: 9 in hospital, 3 in ICU
• Kingston, Frontenac, Lennox & Addington Public Health: 7 in hospital, 4 in ICU 
• Leeds, Grenville and Lanark District Health Unit: 6 in hospital, 4 in ICU
• Renfrew County and District Health Unit: 8 in hospital, 2 in ICU (as of Thursday)
• Outaouais (Gatineau and western Quebec): 13 in hospital, 6 in ICU 

These figures are based on the latest data from each respective health unit at the time of publishing.

COVID-19 OUTBREAKS

Ottawa Public Health is currently reporting active outbreaks in the following locations:

• 6 long-term care homes
• 2 retirement homes
• 1 hospital units
• 4 other congregate settings (group homes, supported independent living, etc.)

OPH no longer reports outbreaks in schools and childcare settings nor community outbreaks, such as those linked to local businesses, religious institutions, or sports and recreation activities.

A full list of locations with active outbreaks is available on OPH's COVID-19 dashboard.