Ottawa sets record with 387 more COVID-19 cases even with testing limitations
Hospitalizations remain stable as that number generally grows one week after case surge
- Ottawa reports a record 387 cases of COVID-19 Wednesday.
- Other key COVID indicators are nearing record levels.
- City hospitalizations remain stable but one child in hospital with COVID.
- Case numbers may be affected by testing demands and delays.
Today's Ottawa update
Ottawa Public Health (OPH) reported 387 new cases of COVID-19 on Wednesday, a new record for a daily update before all possible investigation and contact tracing is done to settle on a final count.
OPH reported a record high one-day case count of 405 on April 17, but that was after it had completed all investigation and contact tracing. It's likely Wednesday's final count will surpass that record.
The city didn't report any new deaths.
Ottawa has 2,435 known active cases. One week ago it knew of 845. That count and some of the others below are at levels that near highs set during the third wave of the COVID-19 pandemic in the spring of 2021.
Case numbers continue to rise even as OPH can't keep up with testing demands, which delays or drags down its confirmed case count. The same is true elsewhere.
Ottawa's medical officer of health and mayor are among officials expected to speak at a news conference at 3 p.m. ET.
Numbers to watch
99: The number of confirmed Omicron variant cases among Ottawa residents, just about doubling Tuesday's count. Another 560 cases are presumed to be Omicron. Wastewater researchers say it looks like Omicron has taken over.
36: The average number of hours it takes to receive a COVID-19 test result, more than the average of 27 hours one week ago.
10.5%: The rate of COVID-19 tests coming back positive rises significantly from Monday's 8.7 per cent. It's near the pandemic record of 11.7 per cent from April 2021.
1.44: The number of people infected by a single COVID-19 case, or R(t). The rate of spread is considered under control when the number is below one.
192.7: The overall weekly incidence rate, a rolling seven-day average of new COVID-19 cases expressed per 100,000 residents. The highest rate on record is 222.4 on April 17, 2021.
52: The number of active COVID-19 outbreaks in Ottawa, the same as on Tuesday. Thirty-four are in child-care settings.
6: The number of Ottawa residents currently being treated for COVID-19 in an Ottawa hospital is stable. That now includes a child younger than age 10.
0: The number of those Ottawa patients in an intensive care unit.
887,547: The number of Ottawa residents born in 2016 or earlier with at least one dose of the COVID-19 vaccine, an adjustment down from Monday's count as it changes to more recent population data. That's 89 per cent of the eligible population.
818,028: The number of Ottawa residents born in 2016 or earlier with at least two doses. That's 82 per cent of the eligible population.
193,131: The number of Ottawa residents with a third dose, about 36,000 more than Monday.
45,310: The number of children in Ottawa born between 2010 and 2016 who have received their first dose of the pediatric COVID-19 vaccine, representing 58 per cent of the population within that age group.
The Kingston area
459.3: The weekly incidence rate for Kingston, Frontenac and Lennox & Addington (KFL&A) Public Health drops. It had been the highest rate of COVID-19 cases on record for any Canadian health unit during the pandemic.
1,539: The number of active cases in the region, down slightly from Monday's record. KFL&A also tests wastewater.
25: The number of KFL&A residents currently being treated for COVID-19 in a local hospital. Thirteen of them are in intensive care.
51: The record number of active outbreaks in KFL&A. The 259 active cases linked to them are fewer than Thursday's peak.
Across the region
Quebec reported 185 more COVID-19 cases in the Outaouais Wednesday. Local health authority CISSSO says it's on pace for record case counts and people need to limit their contacts.
Hastings Prince Edward (HPE) reported 100 more cases and Leeds, Grenville and Lanark (LGL) counties reported 50 more.
According to the Ontario science table's count, KFL&A, Ottawa, HPE and LGL all rank among the eight highest per capita case rates in the province.
Renfrew County reported five more cases. It has one of the lowest per capita case rates in Ontario.
The wider region has passed 5,800 known active cases. It had about 1,000 total on Dec. 1.
