Six more Ottawa residents have died due to COVID-19

Ottawa Public Health is reporting six new deaths linked to novel coronavirus this week, along with 319 new laboratory-confirmed cases.

On Thursday, the health unit said it was time to start wearing masks in indoor and crowded public settings again this fall due to high COVID-19 levels in the community.

Ottawa's per cent positivity rate is 21 per cent this week, the highest level since the Omicron wave in January.

There are 40 Ottawa residents in hospital because of an active COVID-19 infection, up from 36 on Tuesday. There are two people in the ICU because of an active COVID-19 infection.

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: 81 patients (down from 88 patients on Tuesday)
• Queensway Carleton Hospital: 38 patients (up from 25 patients on Tuesday)
• Montfort Hospital: 22 patients (no update since Tuesday)
• CHEO: Four patients (unchanged from Tuesday)

Since the first case of COVID-19 was reported in Ottawa in March 2020, OPH has reported 84,290 laboratory-confirmed cases of COVID-19, including 916 deaths.

OTTAWA'S KEY COVID-19 STATISTICS

• COVID-19 cases per 100,000 (Oct. 13-19): 49.9
• Seven-day average of positivity rate in the Ottawa community, including long-term care: 23.4 per cent
• Known active cases: 850

COVID-19 VACCINES IN OTTAWA

Updated Oct. 18

• Ottawa residents with 1 dose (5+): 932,448
• Ottawa residents with 2 doses (5+): 892,359
• Ottawa residents with 3 doses (5+): 603,104
• Ottawa residents with 4 doses (12+): 246,469
• 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: 61 per cent
• Share of population 12 and older with at least four doses: 27 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: 20 in hospital, 6 in ICU
• Hastings Prince Edward Public Health: 35 in hospital, 3 in ICU  (Updated on Tuesdays only)
• Kingston, Frontenac, Lennox & Addington Public Health: 26 in hospital, 4 in ICU (Updated on Tuesdays only)
• Leeds, Grenville and Lanark District Health Unit: 15 in hospital, 5 in ICU (Updated on Tuesdays)
• Renfrew County and District Health Unit: 4 in hospital, 0 in ICU (Updated on Thursdays)
• Outaouais (Gatineau and western Quebec): 802 in hospital, 0 in ICU

COVID-19 OUTBREAKS

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

• 10 in hospitals
• 12 in long-term care homes
• 20 in retirement homes
• 3 in shelters
• 3 in supported independent living homes
• 5 in group homes
• 1 in community living facility
• 1 in correctional facility

OPH no longer reports outbreaks in schools and childcare settings nor community outbreaks, such as those linked to local businesses, religious institutions, or sports and recreation activities.

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