Three more COVID-19 deaths in Ottawa over weekend, wastewater signal down

An ambulance approaches the Ottawa Hospital in this undated file image. (CTV News Ottawa)

Ottawa Public Health is reporting three more residents of Ottawa have died of COVID-19 since Friday.

So far this year, 309 residents of Ottawa have died because of COVID-19.

Wastewater monitoring has shown a significant decline in the viral signal in the past two weeks. The signal has been on a steady and rapid decline since Oct. 13 and is now back to roughly where it was in August.

The COVID-19 wastewater signal in Ottawa. Data last reported 2022-10-21. (https://613covid.ca/wastewater/)

The number of residents in hospital because of an active infection has held relatively steady. OPH reported 40 residents in hospital because of an active case on Friday. On Tuesday, that number was 41. Two people are in intensive care because of COVID-19.

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: 89 patients (up from 81 patients on Friday)
• Queensway Carleton Hospital: 37 patients (down from 38 patients on Friday)
• Montfort Hospital: 20 patients (down from 22 patients last Tuesday)
• CHEO: Eight patients (up from four patients on Friday)

Since the first case of COVID-19 was reported in Ottawa in March 2020, OPH has reported 84,577 laboratory-confirmed cases of COVID-19, including 919 deaths.

OTTAWA'S KEY COVID-19 STATISTICS

• COVID-19 cases per 100,000 (Oct. 17-23): 53.2
• Seven-day average of positivity rate in the Ottawa community, including long-term care: 17 per cent
• Known active cases: 876

COVID-19 VACCINES IN OTTAWA

Updated Oct. 24

• Ottawa residents with 1 dose (5+): 922,508
• Ottawa residents with 2 doses (5+): 890,156
• Ottawa residents with 3 doses (5+): 603,349
• Ottawa residents with 4 doses (12+): 253,256
• 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: 28 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: 14 in hospital, 4 in ICU
• Hastings Prince Edward Public Health: 28 in hospital, 3 in ICU  (Updated on Tuesdays only)
• Kingston, Frontenac, Lennox & Addington Public Health: 24 in hospital, 6 in ICU (Updated on Tuesdays only)
• Leeds, Grenville and Lanark District Health Unit: 11 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): 86 in hospital, 0 in ICU

COVID-19 OUTBREAKS

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

• 10 in hospitals
• 11 in long-term care homes
• 20 in retirement homes
• 3 in shelters
• 2 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.