COVID-19 levels increasing in Ottawa, public health warns

Ottawa Public Health is reporting a rise in COVID-19 activity in Ottawa heading into the final weekend of March.

One new death linked to COVID-19 has been reported since Tuesday, along with 112 new cases of COVID-19.

The weekly Respiratory Virus Dashboard shows COVID-19 activity has increased since last week, while influenza and RSV activity remains similar to last week. Ottawa Public Health says COVID-19 levels are "high" in the wastewater surveillance as well.

The COVID-19 wastewater viral signal in Ottawa. Data last reported March 23, 2023. (613covid.ca/wastewater/)

There are currently 20 Ottawa residents in hospital because of an active COVID-19 infection, including two in the ICU.

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: 43 patients (as of March 24)
• Queensway Carleton Hospital: 6 patients (As of March 24)
• Montfort Hospital: 11 patients (As of March 24)
• CHEO: 0 patients (As of March 24)

Since the first case of COVID-19 in Ottawa in March 2020, there have been 90,810 laboratory-confirmed cases of COVID-19 in Ottawa, including 1,030 deaths.

OTTAWA'S KEY COVID-19 STATISTICS

• COVID-19 cases per 100,000 (March 16 – 22): 23.4
• Seven-day average of positivity rate in the Ottawa community, including long-term care: 13.2 per cent
• Known active cases: 368

COVID-19 VACCINES IN OTTAWA

Updated March 20

• Ottawa residents with 1 dose (5+): 925,528
• Ottawa residents with 2 doses (5+): 891,810
• Ottawa residents with 3 doses (5+): 616,607
• Ottawa residents with 4 doses (12+): 340,513
• 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: 11 in hospital, 5 in ICU (as of March 24)
• Hastings Prince Edward Public Health: 12 in hospital, 3 in ICU (As of March 21)
• Kingston, Frontenac, Lennox & Addington Public Health: 8 in hospital, 0 in ICU (As of March 21)
• Leeds, Grenville and Lanark District Health Unit: 2 in hospital (As of March 21)
• Renfrew County and District Health Unit: 4 in hospital, 0 in ICU (Updated on Thursdays)

COVID-19 OUTBREAKS

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

• 5 in hospitals
• 3 in long-term care homes
• 8 in retirement homes
• 4 in group homes
• 1 in supported independent living

INFLUENZA OUTBREAKS

No current influenza outbreaks

OTHER ONGOING RESPIRATORY OUTBREAKS

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

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