COVID levels currently low in Ottawa
They had been seen by OPH as moderate to high for most of 2023
Recent developments:
- Ottawa's COVID-19 numbers are mostly stable.
- Its trends are seen as low.
- No more local people with COVID have died.
The latest
Ottawa's pandemic trends are generally stable at low levels, according to Ottawa Public Health (OPH). COVID indicators have usually been seen as moderate to high in 2023, reaching very high levels more often than low ones.
OPH has not indicated any concerning trend recently, which is similar to the wider region outside of Ottawa.
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.
Wastewater
Data from the research team shows, as of the most recent update May 2, the average coronavirus wastewater level has been low and stable for five days.
This average has generally stayed within the same range for a year, so this is an outlier.
Hospitals
The number of Ottawa residents in local hospitals for COVID-19 has been dropping for a few weeks. The number was nine in Friday's update, including two patients in ICU.
That's the first time in nearly a year it's been in the single digits.
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 stable.
Tests, outbreaks and deaths
Ottawa has a stable six active COVID outbreaks. According to OPH, that number is considered low.
The city's COVID-19 test positivity rate dropped from 12 to eight per cent in the last week of April, which OPH also considers low. It did rise for two days to 11 per cent as of May 3.
OPH reported 33 more COVID cases since Tuesday and no more COVID deaths.
Vaccines
Seventeen per cent of Ottawans age five and older have had a COVID-19 vaccine dose within the last six months, with older age groups having higher vaccination rates. This does not factor in immunity from getting COVID.
Ontario's vaccine recommendations changed in early April to focus on higher-risk people.
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
The Eastern Ontario Health Unit (EOHU)'s COVID-19 risk level remains low based on trends such as wastewater and test positivity.
Coronavirus wastewater averages are low and stable in Kingston. They're otherwise out of date or unavailable outside of Ottawa.
Hospitalizations and deaths
Eastern Ontario communities outside Ottawa report about 25 COVID-19 hospitalizations, with just one patient in intensive care in the Kingston area.
That regional count doesn't include Hastings Prince Edward (HPE) Public Health, which shares a weekly average of its local hospitalization count: six in its most recently weekly update.
Western Quebec has a stable 34 hospital patients with COVID. None of them are in intensive care.
Vaccines
The Kingston area's health unit says 14 per cent of its population age five and up have had a COVID vaccine in the last six months.
That number drops to 16 per cent in HPE, and it remains unavailable elsewhere.
