Two new deaths linked to COVID-19 as respiratory viruses circulate in Ottawa

Grocery store patrons in Ottawa, Ont. wear masks to protect against COVID-19. (Photo by: Philippe Beliveau of Unsplash)

Two more Ottawa residents have died from COVID-19 this week, and the capital has surpassed 87,000 total laboratory-confirmed cases of COVID during the pandemic.

Ottawa Public Health reported 165 new cases of COVID-19 in Ottawa over the past three days, along with two new deaths linked to the virus.

Since the first case of COVID-19 in Ottawa in March 2020, there have been 87,151 total cases of COVID-19 in Ottawa, including 980 deaths.

In its twice-weekly COVID-19 report, Ottawa Public Health says there are 25 Ottawa residents admitted to hospital because of an active case of COVID-19, down from 28 on Tuesday.

There is one person in the ICU.

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: 77 patients
• Queensway Carleton Hospital: 13 patients
• Montfort Hospital: 11 patients (as of Dec. 13)
• CHEO: 2 patients

Levels of respiratory viruses in Ottawa remain high, with influenza, RSV and COVID-19 all affecting residents.

"The levels of respiratory viruses circulating in our community remain high, and we’re still seeing the increase in COVID-19 wastewater and % positivity levels that we saw last week," OPH said on Twitter earlier this week.

OTTAWA'S KEY COVID-19 STATISTICS

• COVID-19 cases per 100,000 (Dec. 5-11): 28.6
• Seven-day average of positivity rate in the Ottawa community, including long-term care: 12.6 per cent
• Known active cases: 468

COVID-19 VACCINES IN OTTAWA

Updated Dec. 12

• Ottawa residents with 1 dose (5+): 924,404
• Ottawa residents with 2 doses (5+): 891,298
• Ottawa residents with 3 doses (5+): 611,370
• Ottawa residents with 4 doses (12+): 315,155
• 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: 62 per cent
• Share of population 12 and older with at least four doses: 34 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: 8 in hospital, 2 in ICU
• Hastings Prince Edward Public Health: 4 in hospital, 0 in ICU (Updated on Tuesdays only)
• Kingston, Frontenac, Lennox & Addington Public Health: 15 in hospital, 4 in ICU (Updated on Tuesdays only)
• Leeds, Grenville and Lanark District Health Unit: 11 in hospital, 2 in ICU (Updated on Tuesdays)
• Renfrew County and District Health Unit: 3 in hospital, 0 in ICU (Updated on Thursdays)
• Outaouais (Gatineau and western Quebec): 104 in hospital, 0 in ICU

COVID-19 OUTBREAKS

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

• 9 in hospitals
• 9 in long-term care homes
• 9 in retirement homes
• 1 in a group home

INFLUENZA OUTBREAKS

• 2 in hospitals
• 1 in long-term care homes
• 5 in a retirement home

OTHER ONGOING RESPIRATORY OUTBREAKS

• 10 in licensed child care settings
• 1 in long-term care homes
• 11 in schools
• 1 in a retirement home

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