Two new COVID-19 related deaths in Ottawa Monday and uptick in hospitalizations

Ottawa Public Health is reporting two deaths related to COVID-19 on Monday as well as a slight increase in the number of people hospitalized because of COVID-19.

Monday's report from the health unit brings Ottawa's death toll to 649 residents since the pandemic began.

The number of people being treated in Ottawa hospitals for an active COVID-19 infection rose slightly to 65, from 62 on Sunday. There are now eight people in intensive care, up from seven. Data from OPH shows COVID-19 hospitalizations have been trending downward in the last week.

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.

Local hospitals say they have many more patients who have tested positive for COVID-19, but may not be in the hospital specifically for treatment of the disease. As of Monday, the Ottawa Hospital had 166 patients who had tested positive, the Queensway Carleton Hospital had 70, the Montfort Hospital had 49 and CHEO had 11.

OPH reported 419 new confirmed infections, bringing the city's total to 53,555 cases since the start of the pandemic. Officials note that with testing limited in Ontario, daily case counts are an underrepresentation of the true level of COVID-19 in the community. Known active cases have been falling in the past several days and are now below 5,000.

Ontario health officials reported that 3,887 people are in hospital with COVID-19, including 578 in intensive care.

OTTAWA'S KEY COVID-19 STATISTICS

• COVID-19 cases per 100,000 (Jan. 9 to 15): 300.7 (down from 329.7)   
• Positivity rate in Ottawa (Jan. 10 to 16): 21.5 per cent (down from 26.4 per cent)
• Reproduction number (Seven day average): 0.85 (up from 0.82)
• Known active cases: 4,930 (-155)

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 65 people in Ottawa hospitals on Monday who are being treated for an active COVID-19 infection, up from 62 on Sunday.

There are eight people in the ICU, up from seven.

Age categories of people in hospital:

• 0-9: 2
• 10-19: 2 (1 in ICU)
• 20-29: 1
• 30-39: 0
• 40-49: 3 (1 in ICU)
• 50-59: 7
• 60-69: 12 (2 in ICU)
• 70-79: 19 (3 in ICU)
• 80-89: 14 (1 in ICU) 
• 90+: 5

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

COVID-19 VACCINES IN OTTAWA

As of Monday:

• Ottawa residents with 1 dose (5+): 903,145 (+1,949)
• Ottawa residents with 2 doses (5+): 836,222 (+4,040)
• Ottawa residents with 3 doses (12+): 474,666 (+20,097)
• 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: 65 in hospital, 8 in ICU
• Hastings Prince Edward Public Health: 39 in hospital, 8 in ICU
• Kingston, Frontenac, Lennox & Addington Public Health: 16 in hospital, 10 in ICU
• Leeds, Grenville & Lanark District Health Unit: 21 in hospital, 5 in ICU
• Renfrew County and District Health Unit: 14 in hospital, 0 in ICU
• Outaouais: 113 in hospital, 4 in ICU

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

COVID-19 OUTBREAKS

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

• 22 long-term care homes
• 41 retirement homes
• 34 hospital units
• 53 other congregate settings (group homes, supported independent living, etc.)
• 1 elementary school

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.