Flu levels, some COVID trends showing signs of dropping
Ottawa remains in high-risk zone for respiratory illness for 20th straight week
Recent developments:
- Ottawa's COVID-19 and RSV numbers are generally high.
- Flu signals, while still high, are dropping.
- Respiratory pressure eases a bit in the EOHU.
- Twenty-two more COVID deaths have been reported locally.
The latest
Flu numbers largely dropped over the last week in Ottawa, according to the latest data from Ottawa Public Health (OPH). They're still mostly high, with some very high wastewater readings and hospitalization figures.
COVID-19 and RSV rates remain generally high. RSV's picture is stable and COVID trends are going in varying directions, with some signs that its spread is declining.
Experts recommend people cover coughs, wear masks, keep hands and often-touched surfaces clean; stay home when sick and keep up with COVID and flu vaccines to help protect themselves and other vulnerable people.
OPH says the city's health-care institutions remain at high risk from respiratory illnesses, as they have been for 20 weeks now since the end of August.
This is expected to be the case until at least March.
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In Ottawa
Spread
Ottawa hit its highest coronavirus wastewater average of 2023 on New Year's Eve. It has dropped significantly since then.
As of Saturday, OPH's was still assessing that average as very high. However, as of Tuesday it had dropped to a level OPH called moderate the last time it was in this neighbourhood in August.
The weekly average test positivity rate in the city drops to about 13 per cent, which OPH still sees as high.
Hospitalizations, outbreaks and deaths
In the past week, the average number of Ottawa residents in local hospitals for COVID-19 is a stable 44.
A separate, wider count — which includes patients who tested positive for COVID after being admitted for other reasons, were admitted for lingering COVID complications or were transferred from other health units — has risen a bit after a fall.
OPH considers the number of new COVID-related hospitalizations in the city — 53 — as high.
The active COVID outbreak count is stable at 25, mostly in long-term care or retirement homes. There is a high number of new outbreaks.
The health unit reported 216 more COVID cases and five more COVID deaths in the last week.
Twenty-two per cent of Ottawa residents have had a COVID vaccine since the latest version was first released in mid-September, up from 21 per cent two weeks ago. These figures don't account for immunity from a recent infection.
Across the region
The Kingston area's health unit says it's also in the midst of a high-risk time for respiratory illness. The region's flu and COVID picture is stable, with trends varying from low to very high. RSV pressure is easing a bit in the area.
The Eastern Ontario Health Unit (EOHU)'s big-picture assessment rates the overall respiratory risk as moderate, down from high.
Hastings Prince Edward (HPE) Public Health, like Ottawa, gives a weekly COVID case hospital average. That has fallen to 27 from 39, which was its highest average since autumn 2022.
Renfrew County's hospitalizations are stable at six, and test positivity stable at 24 per cent.
Western Quebec drops again to 54 hospital patients who have tested positive for COVID, its lowest count since early October 2023. The province reported five more COVID deaths there.
Leeds, Grenville and Lanark (LGL) counties reported six more local COVID deaths and HPE reported one. Renfrew County reported five more deaths over the past two weeks
LGL data goes up to Jan. 7, when its trends were generally high.