High COVID levels persist as other illnesses dip

Recent developments:

• Ottawa's COVID-19 numbersare generallyhigh and stable.
• Flu signals, while still high, are dropping again.
• RSV trends drop to more moderate levels.
• Nineteen more COVID deaths have been reported locally.

The latest

Flu numbers dropped again overthe last week,according to the latest data from Ottawa Public Health (OPH), and RSV trends did the same. Flu levels remain high and RSV's are more moderate.

The COVID-19 picture remains generally high and stable.

Meanwhile, both the number ofrespiratory-related and overallemergency room visits in the city havedropped for three straight weeks.

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 havebeensince the end of August. This is expected to be the caseuntil at least March.

In Ottawa

Spread

There was a major adjustment to Ottawa's recentcoronavirus wastewater averagein the past week.

The capital hit its highest average of 2023 on New Year's Eve, then seemed to drop significantly based on last week's snapshot.

That datanow suggests Ottawahit its second-highest averageand highest daily reading on record on Jan. 12.

As of Jan. 22, it had fallen slightly from that peak. It's been generallyrising for more than six months.

OPH says the wastewater signal is very high.

The weekly average test positivity rate in the city is a stable 15per 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 49.

Aseparate, wider count which includespatientswho testedpositive for COVIDafter being admitted for other reasons, wereadmitted for lingering COVIDcomplications or were transferred from other health unitshas fallen to its lowest level since October.

OPH considers the number of new COVID-related hospitalizations in the city43 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 264more COVID cases and five moreCOVIDdeaths in the last week. All victims were peopleage 80 or above.

OPH's next vaccination update is expected Monday.

After nearly four years, OPH said it is also ending its COVID-specific dashboard next month. Its respiratory updates will continue.

Across the region

The Kingston area's health unitsays it's alsoin the midst of a high-risk time for respiratory illness. Its COVID-19, flu and RSV pictures are all stable:COVID and flu are at higher levels andRSVis looking lower.

The Eastern Ontario Health Unit (EOHU)'s big-picture assessmentrates the overall respiratory risk as moderate and stable.

Hastings Prince Edward (HPE) Public Health, like Ottawa,gives a weekly COVIDcase hospital average. That has fallen again to 18. Flu activity there is seen as low.

Western Quebec has a stable51hospital patients who have tested positive forCOVID. The province reports one more COVID death there.

HPE reported five more COVIDdeaths in its weekly update. The EOHUand Kingston area each reported three more andLeeds, Grenville and Lanark (LGL)countiesreported two more.

LGL datagoes up to Jan.14, when its trends were generally high anddropping.Renfrew County'snext update is expected later Thursday.