High respiratory risk in some places, rising COVID hospitalizations elsewhere

Recent developments:

• Ottawa's COVID-19 numbersare mostlystable or dropping.
• Individual trends are moderate tohigh.
• Hospitalizations rise in the Outaouais, Leeds-Grenville-Lanark.
• More hospitals are bringing back widespread mask rules.
• Sevenmore local COVID deaths have been reported.

The latest

The city's COVID-19 numbers to watch are mostly stable or dropping at either moderate or high levelsin this week'sOttawa Public Health (OPH) updates. Ithas a moderate amount of respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) activity and a low level of flu.

Because of this, OPH againsaysthe city's health-care institutions remain at a high risk from respiratory illnesses,like they would be in December, January and February.

OPHis expecting the 2023-2024 respiratory virus season to be similar to its last, when COVID-19, flu and RSVsurged at the same timetopress health-care staff and thehealth systemto the pointthe Red Cross had tohelp.

Expertsrecommendthat people wear masks, keep their hands clean, gather in well-ventilated and less-crowded spaces,stay home when sick andkeepup to date with COVID and flu vaccinesto help protect themselves andvulnerable people.

Mandatory masking is returning toKingston's hospitalsand Ottawa children's hospital CHEO, which are citing rising COVID and other respiratory illnesses. CHEO says it willalso berestricting visitors.

The Leeds, Grenville and Lanark District Health Unit (LGL) says it's not hosting flu and COVID vaccine clinics for the general public this respiratory season, opting instead to hold clinics for priority groups and vaccines through pharmacies otherwise.

Both COVID-19 and flu vaccines are expected to be available for the general public in Ottawa around the end of this month, with earlier availability for people at higher risk of serious health problems.

Quebec's COVID and flu vaccine campaign is now underwayin long-term care homes (CHSLDS) and private seniors' residences.Everyone else will be able to get the vaccines startingTuesday.

Wastewater

Data from the research teamshows that as of Sept. 27,the average coronavirus wastewater levelhas been generally rising for two-and-a-half months, with growth getting more uneven this month and being generally flat in recent days.

OPH now considers this to be high, downfrom very high last week.

Hospitals

The average number of Ottawa residentsin local hospitals for COVID-19 in the last week is down to 21, with no patientsin an ICU.

Aseparate countthatincludespatientswho testedpositive for COVIDafter being admitted for other reasons, wereadmitted for lingering COVIDcomplicationsand were transferred from other health units, is also down.

Its 27 new patients in the previous weekismoderate, according to OPH.

Tests, outbreaks,deaths and vaccines

The city's weekly average test positivity rate is about 18 per cent, rising again for about a week after dropping for two weeks. OPH has said this is a high level.

OPH says there are 26 activeCOVID outbreaks, calling thisstable and high.Most outbreaks are incare homes.

The health unit reported 209more COVID cases in the last weekand fourmoreCOVIDdeaths:one person in their 50s and the other three all age 80 and above.

OPH's monthly COVID vaccinationupdatesays before the updated vaccine rolls out,28 per cent of residents have had a vaccine in the last year. Thisdoesn't account for immunity from infection.

WATCH |A look at vaccine updates across the country:

New COVID-19 vaccines rolling out slowly as cases rise

1 year ago

Duration 3:34

Doctors and epidemiologists are reporting a surge of new COVID infections. But Canada's rollout of the latest variant-targeting vaccines is only just beginning, and won't be in full swing for weeks.

Across the region

Spread

The Kingston area's health unitsays its COVID trends are rising athigh to very highlevels and it'sin ahigh-risk time for transmission. Other respiratory illness trends are generally low.

Its average coronavirus wastewater reading is considered very high and rising.Other availablewastewater trends outside Ottawa are at least a week old: rising inCornwall,Smiths FallsandBrockvilleanddropping after a spikeinHawkesbury.

The average COVID-19 test positivity is a stable 15 per cent in the Eastern Ontario Health Unit (EOHU) and a high, rising 17per cent in the Kingston area.

Hospitalizations and deaths

The Kingston area's health unit says it has a very highand stable32 active COVID patients in its hospitals, including anyone living in a different health unit.

The EOHU'shospitalizations are stable at 12 after a jump last week.

The number of hospitalizations in Leeds, Grenville and Lanark counties rosefrom two last week to eight this week. The health unit is reporting two COVID intensive care patients and their 166th COVID death.

Western Quebec jumps againfrom 27 to 46hospital patients with COVID. The province reports two more COVID deaths there for497 overall.

Hastings Prince Edward (HPE) Public Healthsays services such asCOVID updateswill be resuming now thatdeals to end two strikes were ratified.

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