COVID-19 wastewater signal in Ottawa at highest level since summer

A woman adjusts her face mask. (Photo by EVG Culture from Pexels)

Wastewater monitoring of the main three respiratory viruses affecting the health-care system show a rise in COVID-19, a decline in influenza, and a steady rate of RSV in Ottawa.

The COVID-19 viral signal has been on a steady increase since Christmas and the latest data show the level of COVID-19 in the community is the highest it has been since last summer.

Influenza levels also spiked after Christmas but have been on a downward trend since New Year’s.

The levels of respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) also climbed in the week after Christmas but dipped slightly after New Year’s and have since been holding steady.

Ottawa Public Health reported four new COVID-19 deaths and an increase to the positivity rate in its twice-weekly dashboard update on Tuesday.

Hospitalizations have declined slightly in the last week from 36 patients on Jan. 2 to 34 on Jan. 9 who were in hospital for an active infection. One person is in intensive care.

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: 50 patients
• Queensway Carleton Hospital: 17 patients
• Montfort Hospital: 9 patients (As of Tuesday, Jan. 10)
• CHEO: 5 patients

Since the first case of COVID-19 in Ottawa in March 2020, there have been 88,356 laboratory-confirmed cases of COVID-19 in Ottawa, including 994 deaths. There were 376 COVID-19 deaths reported in 2022, compared to 228 in 2021 and 381 in 2020.

OTTAWA'S KEY COVID-19 STATISTICS

• COVID-19 cases per 100,000 (Jan. 2 to 8): 38.7
• Seven-day average of positivity rate in the Ottawa community, including long-term care: 19.3 per cent
• Known active cases: 581

COVID-19 VACCINES IN OTTAWA

Updated Jan. 9

• Ottawa residents with 1 dose (5+): 925,074
• Ottawa residents with 2 doses (5+): 891,658
• Ottawa residents with 3 doses (5+): 614,438
• Ottawa residents with 4 doses (12+): 329,890
• Share of population five and older with at least one dose: 93 per cent
• Share of population five and older with at least two doses: 90 per cent
• Share of population five and older with at least three doses: 62 per cent
• Share of population 12 and older with at least four doses: 36 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, 2 in ICU (as of Jan. 10)
• Hastings Prince Edward Public Health: 10 in hospital, 0 in ICU (As of Jan. 10)
• Kingston, Frontenac, Lennox & Addington Public Health: 25 in hospital, 2 in ICU (As of Jan. 10)
• Leeds, Grenville and Lanark District Health Unit: 10 in hospital, 3 in ICU (As of Jan. 9)
• Renfrew County and District Health Unit: 3 in hospital, 0 in ICU (Updated on Thursdays)
• Outaouais (Gatineau and western Quebec): 98 in hospital, 1 in ICU (As of Jan. 5)

COVID-19 OUTBREAKS

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

• 5 in hospitals
• 8 in long-term care homes
• 16 in retirement homes
• 1 in congregate care facilities
• 1 in a shelter
• 1 in a group home

INFLUENZA OUTBREAKS

• 1 in a retirement home
• 1 in a hospital

OTHER ONGOING RESPIRATORY OUTBREAKS

• 2 in long-term care homes
• 1 in a school

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