1st COVID-19 update of spring sees falling indicators

Recent developments:

• Some of Ottawa's COVID-19 indicators are starting to drop after reaching levels last seen in January.
• One more person with COVID has died in Ottawa.

The latest 

After weeks of stability, some of Ottawa's COVID-19 trends had risen to levels last seen in January, but they are beginning to drop again.

Ottawa Public Health (OPH) says COVID-19 indicators are generally stable at moderate to high levels, which has remained consistent for most of 2023.

Experts recommend people wear masks indoors and, in Ontario, in the days after having COVID symptoms. Staying home when sick and staying up to date with COVID vaccines can also help protect vulnerable people.

Non-COVID respiratory virus levels are generally low and/or seasonal.

Wastewater

Data from the research team shows the average coronavirus wastewater level is stable after a slow drop to start the month. 

The most recent data is from March 16. OPH considers this level to be high.

Hospitals

The number of patients with COVID-19 in local hospitals drops slightly to 24 from 26, which is similar to numbers seen most of the second half of 2022 and start of 2023.

Three patients are in intensive care.

A separate count that includes patients who tested positive for COVID after being admitted for other reasons, those admitted for lingering COVID complications, and those transferred from other health units is similar to January numbers, but down slightly from last week.

Tests, outbreaks and deaths

Ottawa has 23 active COVID outbreaks, which increased this week after dropping earlier this month. The number is considered high by OPH.

The city's COVID-19 test positivity rate has remained between 11 and 14 per cent since mid February, which OPH calls moderate.

OPH has reported 122 more COVID cases since Friday and the death of one person with COVID.

Vaccines

Twenty-eight per cent of Ottawans age five and older have had a COVID-19 vaccine dose within the last six months, as is generally recommended, with older age groups having higher rates.

That translates to about 750,000 people in that age range without the recommended vaccine protection. It does not factor in immunity from getting COVID.

As of the most recent weekly update, 85 per cent of Ottawa residents had at least one COVID vaccine dose, 82 per cent had at least two, 56 per cent at least three and 31 per cent at least four.

Across the region

Spread

Coronavirus wastewater averages are stable in the Kingston area. They're otherwise out of date or unavailable outside of Ottawa.

The Eastern Ontario Health Unit (EOHU)'s COVID risk level remains moderate.

Hospitalizations and deaths

Eastern Ontario communities outside Ottawa report about 10 COVID-19 hospitalizations, with five patients in intensive care.

That regional count doesn't include Hastings Prince Edward (HPE) Public Health, which has a different counting method. Its local hospitalization count is stable.

Western Quebec has 59 COVID hospital patients, its lowest count since July 2022. Two of them are in intensive care.

Vaccines

The Kingston area's health unit says 28 per cent of its population age five and up have had a COVID vaccine in the last six months. It's 25 per cent in HPE and unavailable elsewhere.

Across eastern Ontario, between 79 and 90 per cent of residents age five and up have received at least two COVID-19 vaccine doses, and between 52 and 65 per cent of those residents have had at least three, according to the province.