Stubborn flu sticks out in otherwise lower viral mix
Ottawa still has very high flu hospitalizations, wastewater average
Recent developments:
- Ottawa's COVID-19 numbers are low to moderate, and dropping.
- Some flu trends are still seen as very high.
- The RSV picture is stable and lower.
- Six more COVID deaths have been reported locally.
The latest
The weekly respiratory update from Ottawa Public Health (OPH) has its three main viruses going in three directions.
Flu is generally rising late in the winter. Its hospitalizations and wastewater average are very high, though both were higher in December and January.
Last season the flu wastewater signal stopped rising at the start of January and was basically nothing shortly afterward. Flu trends were low a year ago.
COVID-19 trends are dropping and either low or moderate. RSV is stable around the same levels.
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 vulnerable people.
OPH says the city's health-care institutions remain at high risk from respiratory illnesses, as they have been since the end of August. This will be the case until respiratory trends are low again.
In Ottawa
Spread
The weekly average test positivity rate in the city falls to about seven per cent, which OPH now considers low.
Ottawa's coronavirus wastewater average back on Feb. 7, the most recent data available, fell for the final three weeks of January and then rose slightly to start this month.
OPH, citing data for last week that's not on the public dashboard, said the wastewater signal was moderate and dropping.
Hospitalizations, outbreaks, vaccines and deaths
The average number of Ottawa residents in local hospitals for COVID-19 is down to 28 over the last week.
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 — is stable.
OPH considers the number of new COVID-related hospitalizations in the city — 38 — as moderate, down from high.
The active COVID outbreak count is a stable 11. There is a low number of new outbreaks.
The health unit reported 80 more COVID cases and three more COVID deaths in the last week. One victim was in their 60s and the other two were age 80 or above.
OPH's next COVID vaccination update is expected in early March.
After nearly four years, OPH said it is also ending its COVID-specific dashboard at some point this month. Much of the information is now reflected in OPH's respiratory updates. OPH said COVID open data will continue to be updated.
Across the region
The Kingston area's health unit says it's also in the midst of a high-risk time for respiratory illness.
Its flu, COVID-19 and RSV pictures are all stable and almost all low or moderate. The only category that's seen as high is the number of flu outbreaks.
The Eastern Ontario Health Unit (EOHU)'s big-picture assessment rates the overall respiratory risk as moderate and stable.
Hastings Prince Edward (HPE) Public Health doesn't have a COVID update this week. Flu activity there is seen as low.
Western Quebec drops to 35 hospital patients who have tested positive for COVID. The province reported two more COVID deaths there.
The health unit for Leeds, Grenville and Lanark (LGL) counties reported one more COVID death.
LGL data goes up to Feb. 11, when its trends were generally dropping. Renfrew County's next update is expected Thursday.