Flu levels, some COVID trends showing signs of dropping

Recent developments:

• Ottawa's COVID-19 and RSV numbersare generallyhigh.
• Flu signals, while still high, are dropping.
• Respiratory pressure eases a bit in the EOHU.
• Twenty-two more COVID deaths have been reported locally.

The latest

Flu numbers largely dropped overthe last week in Ottawa,according to the latest data from Ottawa Public Health (OPH). They're stillmostly high, with some very high wastewater readings and hospitalization figures.

COVID-19andRSVrates remaingenerally high. RSV's picture is stable and COVIDtrends are going in varying directions, with some signs thatits spread is declining.

Expertsrecommendpeople cover coughs,wear masks, keephands and often-touched surfaces clean; stay home when sick andkeepup with COVID and flu vaccinesto help protect themselves andother vulnerable people.

OPHsaysthe city's health-care institutions remainat high risk from respiratory illnesses, as they havebeen for 20 weeks now since the end of August.

This is expected to be the caseuntil at least March.

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In Ottawa

Spread

Ottawa hit its highest coronavirus wastewater average of 2023 on New Year's Eve. It has dropped significantly since then.

As of Saturday, OPH's was still assessingthataverage asvery high. However, as of Tuesday it had dropped to a level OPHcalled moderate the last time it was in this neighbourhoodin August.

The weekly average test positivity rate in the city drops to about 13 per cent, which OPH still sees as high.

Hospitalizations, outbreaks anddeaths

In the past week, the average number of Ottawa residentsin local hospitals for COVID-19is a stable 44.

Aseparate, wider count which includespatientswho testedpositive for COVIDafter being admitted for other reasons, wereadmitted for lingering COVIDcomplications or were transferred from other health unitshas risen a bit after a fall.

OPH considers the number of new COVID-related hospitalizations in the city53 as high.

Theactive COVID outbreak count is stable at 25,mostly in long-term care or retirement homes. There is ahighnumber of new outbreaks.

The health unit reported 216more COVID cases and five moreCOVIDdeaths in the last week.

Twenty-twoper centof Ottawa residents have had a COVID vaccine since the latest version was first released in mid-September, up from 21 per cent two weeks ago. These figures don't account for immunity from a recent infection.

Across the region

The Kingston area's health unitsays it's alsoin the midst of a high-risk time for respiratory illness.The region's flu and COVID picture is stable, with trends varying from low to very high.RSV pressure is easing a bit in the area.

The Eastern Ontario Health Unit (EOHU)'s big-picture assessmentrates the overall respiratory risk as moderate, down from high.

Hastings Prince Edward (HPE) Public Health, like Ottawa,gives a weekly COVIDcase hospital average. That has fallen to 27 from 39, which wasits highest average since autumn 2022.

Renfrew County'shospitalizations are stable at six, and test positivity stable at 24 per cent.

Western Quebec drops again to 54hospital patients who have tested positive forCOVID, its lowest count since early October 2023. The province reported five more COVID deaths there.

Leeds, Grenville and Lanark (LGL)counties reported six more local COVID deaths and HPE reported one.Renfrew County reported five moredeaths over the past two weeks

LGL datagoes up to Jan. 7, when its trends were generally high.