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COVID-19 levels low in Ottawa as flu sticks around

The weekly respiratory update from Ottawa Public Health has lower COVID-19 levels than its two other closely tracked viruses. The flu season, meanwhile, has stretched much longer than the last one.

The Kingston area again has a high respiratory risk

Andrew Foote · CBC News ·
Someone fishes in a partially thawed lake on a sunny day.
As the ice melts, someone casts a fishing line in Dows Lake in Ottawa in April 2023. This year's flu season has stretched on much longer than the last one, with wastewater readings remaining very high in the nation's capital. (Adrian Wyld/The Canadian Press)

Recent developments:

  • Ottawa's COVID-19 numbers are low.
  • Some flu trends are still seen as very high.
  • That city's RSV levels are more moderate.
  • The Kingston area again has a high respiratory risk.
  • Four more COVID deaths have been reported.

The latest

The weekly respiratory update from Ottawa Public Health (OPH) shows COVID-19 levels are lower than its two other closely tracked viruses.

COVID is low across the update's four categories, while RSV is more moderate.

Flu wastewater readings and hospitalizations remain very high as this flu season stretches much later than the last one.

None of the trends OPH monitors are rising, however.

OPH says the city's health-care institutions remain at high risk from respiratory illnesses, as they've been since the end of August. This will be the case until respiratory trends are low again.

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.

COVID-19 in Ottawa

Ottawa's coronavirus wastewater average had been dropping for about 10 days as of March 18 to its lowest level since July.

A chart of the level of coronavirus in Ottawa's wastewater since March 2023.
Researchers have measured and shared the amount of novel coronavirus in Ottawa's wastewater since June 2020. This is the data for the last year. (613covid.ca)

The weekly average test positivity rate in the city is seven per cent. There are 14 new COVID-related hospitalizations in the city and the active COVID outbreak count is six.

There have been two more COVID deaths reported in the capital. OPH's next COVID vaccination update is expected in early April.

Across the region

The Kingston area health unit is back in a high-risk respiratory time. Its trends are mostly stable, but local wastewater readings and the number of outbreaks have edged upward.

The Eastern Ontario Health Unit (EOHU) still rates its overall respiratory risk as moderate and stable.

Hastings Prince Edward (HPE) Public Health's weekly COVID hospital average remains at three. Its flu activity is low.

Western Quebec drops to 17 hospital patients who have tested positive for COVID. The province reports one more COVID death there.

Leeds, Grenville and Lanark (LGL) data goes up to March 10, when its trends were mostly dropping. A COVID death was added in its weekly update. 

Renfrew County's next update is expected on Thursday.

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