Ottawa’s average coronavirus sewage level continues to rise. Hospitalizations, cases and positive tests do too. Kemptville sees highest wastewater average for 2022.
The region is in the seventh wave of the COVID-19 pandemic driven by the BA.5 subvariant of the coronavirus. Health officials say people should get all the COVID-19 shots they’re eligible for, wear masks indoors and follow isolation guidelines. In its most recent weekly update, Ottawa Public Health (OPH) said the city’s wastewater levels of coronavirus and the city’s positive test rate were high.
The latest Ottawa update
Wastewater The average level of coronavirus in Ottawa’s wastewater has been rising for a month. It is higher than the tops of most previous waves, but below the highs reached in April 2021 and 2022. That average is about four times higher than a month ago and 16 times higher than a year ago. Researchers who measured and shared the amount of the novel coronavirus in Ottawa’s sewage reported new pandemic records for daily readings and the weekly average in April 2022. The most recent data is from July 7. (613covid.ca) Hospitals Twenty-four Ottawa residents with COVID-19 are in local hospitals, according to OPH’s latest update. Three of these patients are in intensive care. Both numbers are rising to levels not seen since mid-May. The above hospitalization figures do not include all patients. For example, they leave out patients admitted for other reasons who later test positive for COVID-19, those admitted for prolonged complications of COVID-19, and those transferred from other health facilities. Including these categories, 82 patients with COVID-19 were hospitalized as of the latest figures. This is also back to mid-May levels. Ottawa Public Health has a COVID-19 hospital count that shows all hospital patients who have tested positive for COVID, including those admitted for other reasons and who live in other areas. There were 82 on July 10. (Ottawa Public Health) Tests, outbreaks and outbreaks Testing strategies changed with the contagious Omicron variant, meaning many cases of COVID-19 are not reflected in the current numbers. Public health officials now monitor and report cases only in healthcare settings. Ottawa’s average test positivity rate for all residents rises further to 18 per cent. It stayed around 10 percent for most of June before rising around the start of summer. There are currently 29 active cases of COVID in Ottawa. This number has doubled since the beginning of July. About half of these cases are in nursing homes. OPH reported 278 additional cases and no other deaths over four days. Vaccines According to the most recent weekly update, 93 per cent of Ottawa residents aged five and over had at least one dose of the COVID-19 vaccine and 89 per cent had at least two. Sixty-four per cent of Ottawans aged 12 and over had at least three doses and 13 per cent had four. Eligibility is more limited for the third and fourth installments than for the first two.
Throughout the region
Sewage levels have mixed trends in Leeds, Grenville and Lanark counties, including the highest number of the year in Kemptville last week. These levels are slowly rising in Kingston. Data from other parts of the region are either at least one week old or unavailable. Western Quebec reports 66 COVID-19 hospitalizations, two of them in intensive care. Eastern Ontario communities outside of Ottawa are reporting a steady total of 21 COVID hospitalizations, including two patients in intensive care. This does not include Hastings Prince Edward Public Health (HPE), which has a different measurement method. Hospitals there are low and stable. In eastern Ontario, between 81 and 92 per cent of eligible residents have received at least two doses of the vaccine and between 59 and 71 per cent of adults have had at least three.
