Tranquil 2023 for COVID continues in latest update

Recent developments:

• Ottawa's COVID-19 numbers are mostlylow and stable.
• Its average test positivity has risen.
• The EOHU remains inmoderate risk territory.
• Two more local COVID deaths have been reported.

The latest

Ottawa's pandemic trends are mostly lowandstable, according to Ottawa Public Health (OPH).

OPHhas not indicated any concerning trend since early this year, which is similar to the wider region outside of Ottawa.

Expertsrecommendpeople wear masks indoors. Staying up to date with COVIDvaccinescan alsohelp protect vulnerable people. Other guidance can vary between Ontario and Quebec.

Wastewater

Data from the research teamshows, as of the most recent update May 17,the average coronavirus wastewater levelhas been low and stable for about a week.

This averagegenerally stayed within the same range for a year, so this month has beenan outlier.

Hospitals

The number of Ottawa residentsin local hospitals for COVID-19 hasbeen slowly dropping. The number was five in Tuesday's update, with no patients in ICU.

It hasn't been that low since June 2022.

A separate countthat includespatientswho testedpositive for COVIDafter being admitted for other reasons, those admitted for lingering COVIDcomplications, and thosetransferred from other health units has also dropped.

Tests, outbreaks and deaths

Ottawahas a stable six active COVID outbreaks, which OPH considers low.

The city's average test positivity rate, which sitsaround 12 per cent, has been rising for five days. It's currently similar to levels seen at the end of April. Previously, the measurement was around seven per cent, which OPH said was low.

OPHreported38more COVID cases since Friday and no more COVIDdeaths.

Vaccines

Eleven 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. Thisdoes not factor inimmunity from getting COVID.

Ontario's vaccine recommendations changed in early Aprilto focus onhigher-risk people.

About 150 more vaccine doses went to Ottawa residents in the last eight days,according to OPH.

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

Across the region

Spread

TheEastern Ontario Health Unit (EOHU)'sCOVID-19 risk levelremainsmoderatebased on a high averagetest positivity. Its other trends are seen as low.

Coronavirus wastewater averages are low and stable inKingston.They'reotherwise out of date or unavailable outside of Ottawa.

The Kingston area's average test positivity over the last week is about 12 per cent. That number has ranged between six and 16 per cent since the spike that came around Jan. 1.

Hospitalizations and deaths

Eastern Ontario communities outsideOttawa report about 15COVID-19 hospitalizations, with three patients in intensive care.

That regional countdoesn'tincludeHastings Prince Edward (HPE) Public Health,whichshares a weekly average of itslocal hospitalization count: onein its most recentweekly update.

Western Quebec has 24 hospital patients with COVID. None of them arein intensive care.

Leeds, Grenville and Lanark counties reported their 161st COVID dead in their weekly update, while the Kingston area reported its 118th.

Vaccines

The Kingston area's health unit says 12per cent of its population age five and older have had a COVID vaccine in the last six months.

That number is13 per cent in HPE, and it remains unavailable elsewhere.