COVID-19 levels still high, flu is low, RSV waning
The latest data on respiratory viruses in Ottawa show COVID-19 levels remain high, but influenza is low and RSV is also on the decline.
The data from Ottawa Public Health show an overall decline through January in the wastewater signals of all three of the main respiratory viruses, though the testing positivity rate for COVID-19 remains in the double-digits and rose slightly in the last week.
Testing positivity for the flu dropped to 1.1 per cent the week of Jan. 15 to 21, down from 2.2 the week prior and 8 per cent at the start of 2023.
Testing positivity rates for influenza in eastern Ontario this season. (Ottawa Public Health)
RSV's positivity rate dropped to 7.3 per cent last week from 8.8 per cent the week prior and 10.9 per cent in the first week of January.
Testing positivity rates for RSV in eastern Ontario this season. (Ottawa Public Health)
COVID-19 positivity is down from the start of the year, where it peaked at 22.1 per cent, but it's up slightly in the last week. OPH reported a positivity rate of 16.4 per cent the week of Jan. 15 to 21, up from 15.9 per cent the week of Jan. 8 to 14.
Testing positivity rates for COVID-19 in eastern Ontario this season. (Ottawa Public Health)
Emergency visits because of respiratory issues are also on the decline. OPH reported 805 respiratory-related emergency visits last week, accounting for about 12 per cent of all emergency visits last week. That's down from 851 visits (13 per cent) in the second week of January and 1,090 (15 per cent) of visits in the first week of the year.
COVID-19 related hospitalizations have remained relatively steady in the last week. OPH reported in its twice-weekly update Tuesday that there were 32 residents in hospital because of an active COVID-19 infection, up from 27 a week prior.
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: 73 patients (as of Jan. 20)
- Queensway Carleton Hospital: 9 patients
- Montfort Hospital: 9 patients (As of Jan. 24)
- CHEO: 5 patients (As of Jan. 24)
Since the first case of COVID-19 in Ottawa in March 2020, there have been 88,990 laboratory-confirmed cases of COVID-19 in Ottawa, including 1,004 deaths.
OTTAWA'S KEY COVID-19 STATISTICS
- COVID-19 cases per 100,000 (Jan. 16 to 22): 32.3
- Seven-day average of positivity rate in the Ottawa community, including long-term care: 15.2 per cent (Jan. 15)
- Known active cases: 498
COVID-19 VACCINES IN OTTAWA
Updated Jan. 23
- Ottawa residents with 1 dose (5+): 925,425
- Ottawa residents with 2 doses (5+): 891,857
- Ottawa residents with 3 doses (5+): 615,551
- Ottawa residents with 4 doses (12+): 334,757
- 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: 7 in hospital, 0 in ICU (as of Jan. 24)
- Hastings Prince Edward Public Health: 12 in hospital, 0 in ICU (As of Jan. 24)
- Kingston, Frontenac, Lennox & Addington Public Health: 15 in hospital, 2 in ICU (As of Jan. 24)
- Leeds, Grenville and Lanark District Health Unit: 5 in hospital, 0 in ICU (As of Jan. 24)
- Renfrew County and District Health Unit: 5 in hospital, 0 in ICU (Updated on Thursdays)
- Outaouais (Gatineau and western Quebec): 101 in hospital, 1 in ICU (As of Jan. 18)
COVID-19 OUTBREAKS
Ottawa Public Health is currently reporting active outbreaks in the following locations
- 7 in hospitals
- 5 in long-term care homes
- 12 in retirement homes
- 1 in a shelter
- 1 in a rooming house
INFLUENZA OUTBREAKS
- 1 in a long-term care home
OTHER ONGOING RESPIRATORY OUTBREAKS
- 4 in long-term care homes
- 1 in a hospital
A full list of locations with active outbreaks is available on OPH's outbreak dashboard.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
NDP calls out Conservatives for effort to squash pharmacare legislation
The federal New Democrats are calling out Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre and his party for trying to block the bill that could pave the way for millions of Canadians to access birth control and diabetes coverage.
Stamp prices rise for the third time in five years amid financial woes for Canada Post
Canada Post is increasing stamp prices for the third time since 2019, a move the Crown corporation says is a "reality" of its sales-based revenue structure.
Winnipeg man admits to killing four women, argues he's not criminally responsible
Defence lawyers of Jeremy Skibicki have admitted in court the accused killed four Indigenous women, but argues he is not criminally responsible for the deaths by way of mental disorder – this latest development has triggered a judge-alone trial rather than a jury trial.
An El Nino-less summer is coming. Here's what that could mean for Canada
As Canadians brace themselves for summer temperatures, forecasters say a weakening El Nino cycle doesn’t mean relief from the heat.
Mediterranean staple may lower your risk of death from dementia, study finds
A daily spoonful of olive oil could lower your risk of dying from dementia, according to a new study by Harvard scientists.
A subset of Alzheimer's cases may be caused by two copies of a single gene, new research shows
For the first time, researchers have identified a genetic form of late-in-life Alzheimer’s disease — in people who inherit two copies of a worrisome gene.
Ontario MPP asked again to leave Ontario legislature over keffiyeh, Speaker loosens ban
An Ontario MPP was asked again to leave the Ontario legislature on Monday for wearing a keffiyeh, a garment that was banned by the Speaker last month due to its political symbolism.
WATCH Avian flu: Risk to humans grows as outbreaks spread, warns expert
H5N1 or avian flu is decimating wildlife around the world and is now spreading among cattle in the United States, sparking concerns about 'pandemic potential' for humans. Now a health expert is urging Canada to scale up surveillance north of the border.
Trudeau Liberals to unveil new bill Monday aimed at countering foreign interference
Democratic Institutions Minister Dominic LeBlanc will be tabling legislation on Monday aimed at countering foreign interference in Canada. Federal officials have scheduled a technical briefing on the incoming bill for Monday afternoon.