Four new COVID-19 deaths in Ottawa on Saturday, hospitalizations increase

People wearing masks and dressed for cold weather walk arm in arm. (Photo by Matteo Jorjoson on Unsplash)

Four more people have died from COVID-19 in Ottawa, and Ottawa Public Health is reporting five more people in hospital with COVID-19 related illnesses.

The health unit reported four new deaths and 443 new cases of COVID-19 in Ottawa on Saturday.  The number of confirmed cases of COVID-19 is an underestimate of the true number of people with COVID-19 due to the testing criteria.

Ottawa Public Health reported 87 people in Ottawa hospitals with an active COVID-19 infection Saturday, up from 82 on Friday.  There are 11 people in the intensive care unit with an active COVID-19 infection.

Ottawa Public Health reports only hospitalizations among Ottawa residents with a hospital intervention for active COVID-19. 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.

As of Friday, there were 62 patients admitted to the Queensway Carleton Hospital who have tested positive for COVID-19, and 47 patients with COVID-19 at the Montfort Hospital.  CHEO reported six patients with COVID-19 on Saturday.

OTTAWA'S KEY COVID-19 STATISTICS

• COVID-19 cases per 100,000 (Jan. 14 to 20): 247.0 (up from 240.2)    
• Positivity rate in Ottawa (Jan. 14 to 20): 20 per cent (up from 19.7 per cent) 
• Reproduction number (Seven day average): 0.87 (up from 0.82)
• Known active cases: 3,709 (-68)

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

There are 87 people in Ottawa hospitals on Saturday with an active COVID-19 infection, up from 82 people on Friday.

There are 11 people in the ICU, up from 10 on Friday.

Age categories of people in hospital:

• 0-9: 0
• 10-19: 1
• 20-29: 2 (1 in ICU)
• 30-39: 2 
• 40-49: 5 (1 in ICU)
• 50-59: 9
• 60-69: 14 (2 in ICU)
• 70-79: 24 (5 in ICU)
• 80-89: 21 (2 in ICU) 
• 90+: 9

(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+): 904,733 (+988)
• Ottawa residents with 2 doses (5+): 838,290 (+1,280)
• Ottawa residents with 3 doses (12+): 487,559 (+6,687)
• Share of population five and older with at least one dose: 91 per cent
• Share of population five and older fully vaccinated: 84 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: 36 in hospital, 9 in ICU* 
• Hastings Prince Edward Public Health: 33 in hospital, 6 in ICU
• Kingston, Frontenac, Lennox & Addington Public Health: 18 in hospital, 7 in ICU
• Leeds, Grenville & Lanark District Health Unit: 22 in hospital, 7 in ICU
• Renfrew County and District Health Unit: 14 in hospital, 0 in ICU
• Outaouais (Gatineau and western Quebec): 158 in hospital, 7 in ICU

These figures are based on the latest data from each respective health unit at the time of publishing. 

*The EOHU says it is working on a new reporting system. Figures are as of Jan. 21, 2022.

COVID-19 OUTBREAKS

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

• 24 long-term care homes
• 45 retirement homes
• 36 hospital units
• 54 other congregate settings (group homes, supported independent living, etc.)

OPH paused reporting on community outbreaks in workplaces, etc. as of Jan. 2.

A full list of locations with active outbreaks is available on OPH's COVID-19 dashboard.