COVID-19 hospitalizations in Ottawa rise over weekend, testing positivity up

An ambulance approaches the Ottawa Hospital in this undated file image. (CTV News Ottawa)

Ottawa Public Health is reporting an increase in the number of residents in hospital because of an active COVID-19 infection over the weekend, but hospitalization levels remain low.

According to the public health unit’s COVID-19 dashboard update on Tuesday, there are 10 residents in hospital because of COVID-19, with one in intensive care. On Friday, OPH reported six people in hospital and zero ICU admissions.

 

COVID-19 hospitalization in Ottawa in 2022
Infogram

OPH warned residents of signs of rising COVID-19 levels last week.

The COVID-19 wastewater signal is on a downward trend according to the latest available data, after rising for several days earlier this month.

One more person in the city has died of COVID-19, bringing the city’s pandemic death toll to 819 residents since March 2020.

OPH hospitalization figures only represent Ottawa residents who are in hospital because of an active case of COVID-19. Local hospitals report higher figures, which include patients who were admitted for reasons other than COVID-19 but have tested positive and patients who are not from Ottawa.

Here is a look at how many COVID-19 patients are in each hospital:

• The Ottawa Hospital: 17 patients
• Queensway Carleton Hospital: Four patients (as of June 24)
• Montfort Hospital: Six patients (as of June 24)
• CHEO: Three patients

OPH reported 225 new laboratory-confirmed cases of COVID-19 in the city since Friday. Case counts are considered an underrepresentation of the true amount of COVID-19 in the community due to provincial restrictions on who can access a PCR test.

Testing positivty has increased dramatically for residents who are being tested since mid-June. The seven-day average test positivity rate for Ottawa residents, excluding those in long-term care homes, has climbed from 9.5 per cent on June 15 to 16.1 per cent on June 26. Long-term care homes are seeing the opposite trend. Testing positivity rates have fallen from 6.1 per cent on June 15 to 1.5 per cent on June 26.

Since the first case of COVID-19 in Ottawa in March 2020, there have been 74,866 laboratory-confirmed cases. 

OTTAWA'S KEY COVID-19 STATISTICS

• COVID-19 cases per 100,000 (June 20 to 26): 41.1
• Seven-day average of positivity rate in the Ottawa community, excluding long-term care homes (June 26): 16.1 per cent
• Known active cases: 554 (+78)

COVID-19 VACCINES IN OTTAWA

Updated June 27.

• Ottawa residents with 1 dose (5+): 918,015
• Ottawa residents with 2 doses (5+): 883,810
• Ottawa residents with 3 doses (12+): 581,556
• Share of population five and older with at least one dose: 93 per cent
• Share of population five and older fully vaccinated: 89 per cent
• Share of population 12 and older with at least three doses: 64 per cent

*Statistics on Ottawa residents with one or more 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: 0 in hospital, 0 in ICU
• Kingston, Frontenac, Lennox & Addington Public Health: 8 in hospital, 0 in ICU (only updated on Tuesdays)
• Leeds, Grenville and Lanark District Health Unit: 1 in hospital, 1 in ICU
• Renfrew County and District Health Unit: 6 in hospital, 0 in ICU
• Outaouais (Gatineau and western Quebec): 54 in hospital, 0 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 (as of Friday, June 17):

• 4 long-term care homes
• 7 retirement homes
• 2 hospital units
• 2 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.