COVID-19 hospitalizations in Ottawa tick up slightly Saturday

Ottawa Public Health is reporting a slight uptick in the number of residents currently hospitalized because of an active case of COVID-19.

In its daily COVID-19 dashboard update on Saturday, OPH said there were 18 residents in hospital because of COVID-19, up from 17 on Friday. Two of these patients are in intensive care, down from three.

Hospitalization figures are down significantly overall since one month ago, though OPH data show a rising trend in recent days.

OPH tracks hospitalization interventions. To count as a hospitalization intervention, the hospitalization must involve treatment for an active COVID-19 infection or have a hospital stay extended because of active COVID-19. This also applies to people who may acquire COVID-19 while in hospital. Local hospitals have reported higher numbers of patients who have tested positive for COVID-19.

Here is a look at the latest number of patients with COVID-19 reported by each Ottawa hospital as of Friday:

• CHEO: Four patients
• Montfort Hospital: Eight patients
• Queensway Carleton Hospital: 12 patients
• The Ottawa Hospital: 35 patients

No new COVID-19 related deaths were reported locally on Saturday. This comes after a data correction Friday removed 16 previously counted deaths in 2021 from Ottawa's pandemic death toll, which now stands at 740.

OPH reported 140 new laboratory-confirmed cases on Saturday and said 106 previously reported cases are now resolved. Daily case counts are an underestimation of the total amount of COVID-19 in the community due to restrictions on testing.

Data from Ottawa's COVID-19 wastewater monitoring project show the viral signal has plateaued through mid-February at levels equivalent to mid-December, before the height of the Omicron variant wave.

Graph representing COVID-19 wastewater viral signal in Ottawa. Data last reported 2022-02-24. (613covid.ca/wastewater/)

Provincially, Ontario health officials reported 34 new deaths linked to COVID-19. There are 1,024 people being treated in Ontario hospitals with COVID-19, including 284 in intensive care.

OTTAWA'S KEY COVID-19 STATISTICS

• COVID-19 cases per 100,000 (Feb. 18 to Feb. 24): 81.1 (down from 84.9)  
• Positivity rate in the Ottawa community (excluding long-term care homes) (Feb. 18 to Feb. 24): 10.9 per cent (up from 10.8 per cent)
• Reproduction number (Seven day average): 0.98
• Known active cases: 926 (+34)

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.

The number of known active cases is the number of confirmed cases (based on testing) minus the numbers of resolved cases and deaths.

HOSPITALIZATIONS IN OTTAWA

Eighteen residents of Ottawa are in hospital with an active COVID-19 infection on Saturday, up from 17 on Friday.

There are two people in ICU, down from three.

Age categories of people in hospital:

• 0-9: 0
• 10-19: 0
• 20-29: 0
• 30-39: 1
• 40-49: 0
• 50-59: 7 (1 in ICU)
• 60-69: 1
• 70-79: 5 (1 in ICU)
• 80-89: 4
• 90+: 0

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

COVID-19 VACCINES IN OTTAWA

As of Friday:

• Ottawa residents with 1 dose (5+): 912,955 (+292)
• Ottawa residents with 2 doses (5+): 871,514 (+923)
• Ottawa residents with 3 doses (18+): 535,556 (+1,479)
• 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: 7 in hospital, 1 in ICU (as of Friday)
• Hastings Prince Edward Public Health: 19 in hospital, 2 in ICU (as of Friday)
• Kingston, Frontenac, Lennox & Addington Public Health: 6 in hospital, 3 in ICU (as of Friday)
• Renfrew County and District Health Unit: 8 in hospital, 2 in ICU (as of Thursday)
• Outaouais (Gatineau and western Quebec): 25 in hospital, 7 in ICU (as of Friday)

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:

• 2 long-term care homes
• 8 retirement homes
• 2 hospital units
• 6 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.