COVID-19 levels in Ottawa on the decline, flu and RSV levels staying low

A woman shops for groceries while wearing a face mask. (Photo by Imants Kaziļuns on Unsplash)

Ottawa Public Health says respiratory virus activity last week was comparable to the first week of February, with a slight decline in COVID-19 activity.

OPH data show unseasonably low levels of influenza and RSV, while COVID-19 levels are at about the same level they've been for several weeks.

The flu season typically peaks in mid-February but this season's peak was in November 2022. Testing positivity had skyrocketed to nearly 30 per cent. Last week, it was 1.5 per cent, well below the pre-pandemic seasonal average of 20 per cent.

RSV levels have been steadily declining since the start of the year. The testing positivity rate last week was 6.4 per cent. The pre-pandemic seasonal average is around 18 per cent.

COVID-19 positivity was at 11.2 per cent last week, right about where it was last year. Last week it was around 12 per cent.

OPH reported one new death since Friday in its twice-weekly COVID-19 update on Tuesday.

There are 30 people in hospital with one in intensive care, which is down week-over-week.

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.

• The Ottawa Hospital: 41 patients (as of Feb. 105)
• Queensway Carleton Hospital: 14 patients (As of Feb. 15)
• Montfort Hospital: 8 patients (As of Feb. 13)
• CHEO: 0 patient (As of Feb. 15)

Since the first case of COVID-19 in Ottawa in March 2020, there have been 89,629 laboratory-confirmed cases of COVID-19 in Ottawa, including 1,018 deaths.

OTTAWA'S KEY COVID-19 STATISTICS

• COVID-19 cases per 100,000 (Feb. 6 - 12): 19.6
• Seven-day average of positivity rate in the Ottawa community, including long-term care: 11.3 per cent
• Known active cases: 331

COVID-19 VACCINES IN OTTAWA

Updated Feb. 13

• Ottawa residents with 1 dose (5+): 925,436
• Ottawa residents with 2 doses (5+): 891,814
• Ottawa residents with 3 doses (5+): 616,075
• Ottawa residents with 4 doses (12+): 337,774
• Share of population five and older with at least one dose: 89 per cent
• Share of population five and older with at least two doses: 85 per cent
• Share of population five and older with at least three doses: 59 per cent
• Share of population 12 and older with at least four doses: 35 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: 6 in hospital, 1 in ICU (as of Feb. 14)
• Hastings Prince Edward Public Health: 17 in hospital, 2 in ICU (As of Feb. 14)
• Kingston, Frontenac, Lennox & Addington Public Health: 10 in hospital, 2 in ICU (As of Feb. 14)
• Leeds, Grenville and Lanark District Health Unit: 5 in hospital, 0 in ICU (As of Feb. 13)
• Renfrew County and District Health Unit: 4 in hospital, 0 in ICU (Updated on Thursdays)
• Outaouais (Gatineau and western Quebec): 79 in hospital, 1 in ICU (As of Feb. 8)

COVID-19 OUTBREAKS

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

• 3 in hospitals
• 3 in long-term care homes
• 11 in retirement homes
• 1 in a group home

INFLUENZA OUTBREAKS

• No current influenza outbreaks

OTHER ONGOING RESPIRATORY OUTBREAKS

• 1 in long-term care homes
• 5 in retirement homes

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