Three more COVID-19 deaths in Ottawa as hospitalizations reach five-month high

People walk down the street during the COVID-19 pandemic in Ottawa, Ont. on April 11, 2021. (Colton Praill / CTV News Ottawa)

OTTAWA -

Three more people have died from COVID-19 in Ottawa as hospitalizations from the virus reach a five-month high.

The city’s death toll from the virus now sits at 609.

There are 20 people in hospital with COVID-19, the most since June 11. Sixteen of them are in their 70s or older. Two patients are in the ICU with COVID-19.

Ottawa Public Health reported 45 new cases on Wednesday. That follows 34 new cases on Tuesday and 30 on Monday.

The number of active cases is back above 300 for the first time since Oct. 24.

On Tuesday, Ottawa’s medical officer of health urged residents to stay vigilant against COVID-19 in the face of the slowly rising case counts.

Provincewide, Ontario health officials reported 454 new cases and nine new deaths from the virus on Wednesday.

The province’s rolling seven-day average is now 502, up from 379 at this time last week.

OTTAWA'S KEY COVID-19 STATISTICS

Ottawa Public Health data:

• COVID-19 cases per 100,000 (Nov. 2 to Nov. 8): 25.3 (up from 23.1)    
• Positivity rate in Ottawa (Nov. 1 to Nov. 7): 2.2 per cent
• Reproduction number (Seven day average): 1.27

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.

UNVACCINATED CASES

Of the 243 Ontario residents in hospital with COVID-19, 182 are not fully vaccinated or have an unknown vaccination status.

There are 136 people in Ontario ICUs with COVID-19. Of those, 120 are not fully vaccinated or have an unknown vaccination status.

There is as rate of 6.49 cases per 100,000 unvaccinated residents and 1.87 cases per 100,000 fully vaccinated individuals.

COVID-19 VACCINES IN OTTAWA

Ottawa Public Health updates vaccine numbers on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays.

As of Wednesday:

• Ottawa residents with 1 dose (12+): 835,564 (+648)
• Ottawa residents with 2 doses (12+): 804,447 (+1,145)
• Share of population 12 and older with at least one dose: 91 per cent
• Share of population 12 and older fully vaccinated: 87 per cent
• Total doses received in Ottawa: 1,372,642

*Total doses received does not include doses shipped to pharmacies and primary care clinics, but statistics on Ottawa residents with one or two doses includes anyone with an Ottawa postal code who was vaccinated anywhere in Ontario. 

ACTIVE CASES OF COVID-19 IN OTTAWA

There are 312 active cases of COVID-19 in Ottawa on Wednesday, up from 293 active cases on Tuesday. This is the most active cases Ottawa has seen since Oct. 23.

Ottawa Public Health reported 22 more newly resolved cases of COVID-19. The total number of resolved cases of coronavirus in Ottawa is 30,280.

The number of active cases is the number of total laboratory-confirmed cases of COVID-19 minus the numbers of resolved cases and deaths. A case is considered resolved 14 days after known symptom onset or positive test result.

 

COVID-19 Cases in Ottawa
Infogram

HOSPITALIZATIONS IN OTTAWA

There are 20 people in Ottawa area hospitals with COVID-19 related illnesses on Wednesday, up from 19 on Tuesday. Sixteen of the patients are 70 or older.

There are two patients with COVID-19 in Ottawa ICUs.

This is the most hospitalizations the city has seen since June 11, when the fourth wave of the virus was subsiding.

Age categories of people in hospital:

• 0-9: 0
• 10-19: 0
• 20-29: 1
• 30-39: 0
• 40-49: 1
• 50-59: 0
• 60-69: 2 (1 in ICU)
• 70-79: 4 (1 in ICU)
• 80-89: 7
• 90+: 5 (1 in ICU)

(Ottawa Public Health is now reporting people in hospital with an "active" infection)

COVID-19 CASES IN OTTAWA BY AGE CATEGORY

• 0-9 years old: Eight new cases (2,926 total cases)
• 10-19 years-old: Four new cases (4,167 total cases)
• 20-29 years-old: Nine new cases (6,957 total cases)
• 30-39 years-old: Five new cases (4,784 total cases)
• 40-49 years-old: Nine new cases (4,098 total cases)
• 50-59 years-old: Two new cases (3,570 total cases)
• 60-69-years-old: Two new cases (2,106 total cases)
• 70-79 years-old: One new case (1,158 total cases)
• 80-89 years-old: Two new cases (889 total cases)
• 90+ years old: Four new cases (543 total cases)
• Unknown: Zero new cases (3 cases total)

VARIANTS OF CONCERN

Ottawa Public Health data:

• Total Alpha (B.1.1.7) cases: 6,850
• Total Beta (B.1.351) cases: 513
• Total Gamma (P.1) cases: 55
• Total Delta (B.1.617.2) cases: 894 (+5)
• Total variants of concern/mutation cases: 11,939
• Deaths linked to variants/mutations: 112

*OPH notes that that VOC and mutation trends must be treated with caution due to the varying time required to complete VOC testing and/or genomic analysis following the initial positive test for SARS-CoV-2. Test results may be completed in batches and data corrections or updates can result in changes to case counts that may differ from past reports.

COVID-19 TESTING IN OTTAWA

The Ottawa COVID-19 Testing Taskforce says 2,419 swabs processed at assessment centres in Ottawa on Tuesday

A total of 2,348 lab tests were performed in Ottawa on Tuesday.

The average turnaround time from the time the swab is taken at a testing site to the result is 17 hours.

CASES OF COVID-19 AROUND THE REGION

• Eastern Ontario Health Unit: Three new cases
• Hastings Prince Edward Public Health: One case removed from total
• Kingston, Frontenac, Lennox & Addington Public Health: 14 new cases
• Leeds, Grenville & Lanark District Health Unit: Seven new cases
• Renfrew County and District Health Unit: One new case

COVID-19 OUTBREAKS

Ottawa Public Health reports COVID-19 outbreaks at institutions and community outbreaks in Ottawa.

Community outbreaks:

• Workplace - Corporate/Office: One outbreak

Schools and childcare spaces currently experiencing outbreaks: (Nine elementary schools, one secondary school, one child care centre)

1. Grandir Ensemble child care George-Étienne-Cartier (Oct. 20) 
2. École élémentaire publique Des Sentiers (Oct. 21) 
3. École élémentaire catholique Des Pionniers (Oct. 27) 
4. Queen Elizabeth Public School (Oct. 27)
5. Barrhaven Public School (Oct. 3)
6. École élémentaire catholique Des Pins (Nov. 1)
7. Immaculata High School (Nov. 1)
8. Connaught Public School (Nov. 2)
9. Convent Glen Elementary School (Nov, 5) 
10. École élémentaire publique Marie-Curie (Nov. 5) 
11. Holy Family Elementary School (Nov. 5)

Healthcare and congregate settings experiencing outbreaks:

1. The Ottawa Hospital Civic Campus - A2 Unit (Oct. 26)
2. Shelter (Oct. 26) 
3. The Ottawa Hospital Civic Campus - A5/B5 units (Oct. 28)
4. The Ottawa Hospital Civic Campus - A3 Unit (Oct. 29)
5. Supported Independent Living (A-24018) (Nov. 2)
6. Portobello Retirement Residence (Nov. 3)
7. The Ottawa Hospital Civic Campus - Unit A1 (Nov. 4) 
8. The Ottawa Hospital General Campus - 8 West (Nov. 8)