309 more COVID-19 cases in Ottawa Friday with signs of rapid spread
Ottawa has quickly moved into third wave territory with no sign of slowing down
- Ottawa reports 309 cases of COVID-19 Friday.
- Many key COVID indicators grow quickly.
- The Kingston area further increases local pandemic records.
- Outaouais tops more than 100 cases in a daily report for first time since April.
Today's Ottawa update
Ottawa Public Health (OPH) reported 309 new cases of COVID-19 on Friday and one death. It has only reported daily case increases above 300 six other times, all in the middle of the third wave last spring.
The city's 1,223 known active cases are an increase of 250 since Thursday's report and the highest total since the back half of the third wave in mid-to-late May. The total has doubled in six days.
Medical Officer of Health Dr. Vera Etches said Thursday OPH is working on rule changes along with some vaccination changes announced Thursday. She has another news conference scheduled for Friday afternoon.
Numbers to watch
18: The number of confirmed Omicron variant cases among Ottawa residents, up from 13 in Thursday's report. Another 199 cases are presumed to be Omicron but need final confirmation.
3: Residents age 12 and up who are either unvaccinated or who received their first dose less than two weeks ago are three times more likely to contract COVID-19 than are those who are fully vaccinated, according to data up to Dec. 10.
6.3%: The rate of COVID-19 tests coming back positive spikes from 4.5 per cent on Wednesday. It was 2.1 per cent on Dec. 1.
34: The average number of hours it takes to receive a COVID-19 test result, up significantly from the 23-hour average one week ago.
1.79: 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 and it hasn't been this high since July 2020.
98.5: The overall weekly incidence rate, a rolling seven-day average of new COVID-19 cases expressed per 100,000 residents. It has doubled in five days.
50: The number of active COVID-19 outbreaks in Ottawa, two more than on Wednesday.
36: The number of those outbreaks in school and child-care settings, including 28 in elementary schools.
3: The number of Ottawa residents currently being treated for COVID-19 in an Ottawa hospital is stable. All current patients are 70 or older.
0: The number of those Ottawa patients in an intensive care unit.
884,898: The number of Ottawa residents born in 2016 or earlier with at least one dose of the COVID-19 vaccine, about 2,500 more than in Wednesday's update. That's 89 per cent of the eligible population.
818,722: The number of Ottawa residents born in 2016 or earlier with at least two doses, about 550 more than on Wednesday. That's 82 per cent of the eligible population.
120,987: The number of Ottawa residents with a third dose, about 21,000 more than on Wednesday.
40,682: The number of children in Ottawa born between 2010 and 2016 who have received their first dose of the pediatric COVID-19 vaccine, representing 53 per cent of the population within that age group. About 2,000 got their shot in the last two days.
The Kingston area
426.3: The weekly incidence rate for Kingston, Frontenac and Lennox & Addington (KFL&A) Public Health is the highest on record for any Canadian health unit during the pandemic, according to its medical officer of health.
1,272: Its known active case count has risen 11 straight days, setting a new local record each time.
25: The number of KFL&A residents currently being treated for COVID-19 in a local hospital, a number that has dropped for three days. Fourteen of them are in intensive care.
42: The number of active outbreaks in KFL&A, with 293 active cases linked to them.
Across the region
Many local health authorities have warned about an increase in COVID-19 spread straining their health resources, with fears it will get worse as Omicron takes over.
Quebec reported 103 more COVID-19 cases in the Outaouais Thursday, its first day over 100 since April.
Leeds, Grenville and Lanark Counties reported 44 more cases and Hastings Prince Edward (HPE) reported 27 more. Both have weekly incidence rates among the top 10 in the province.
HPE also confirmed its first Omicron case.
Health units for the Belleville, Kingston and Leeds,Grenville and Lanark areas urge residents to avoid in-person gatherings, as are councils for Akwesasne and Kitigan Zibi Anishinabeg.
