309 more COVID-19 cases in Ottawa Friday with signs of rapid spread

• Ottawa reports 309 cases of COVID-19 Friday.
• Many key COVIDindicators growquickly.
• The Kingston area further increases local pandemic records.
• Outaouais tops more than 100 cases in a daily report for first time since April.

Today's Ottawa update

Ottawa Public Health(OPH) reported 309new cases of COVID-19 on Friday and one death. It has only reported daily case increases above 300 six other times, all in the middle of the third wave last spring.

The city's 1,223known active cases are an increase of 250 since Thursday's report andthe highest totalsincethe back half of the third wave in mid-to-late May. The total has doubled in six days.

Medical Officer of Health Dr. Vera Etches said Thursday OPH is working on rule changesalong with some vaccination changes announced Thursday. She has another news conference scheduled for Fridayafternoon.

Numbers to watch

18: The number of confirmed Omicron variant cases among Ottawa residents, up from 13in Thursday's report. Another 199cases are presumed to be Omicron but need final confirmation.

3: Residents age 12 and up who are either unvaccinated or who received their first dose less than two weeks ago are threetimes more likely to contract COVID-19 than arethose who are fully vaccinated, according to data up to Dec. 10.

6.3%:The rate of COVID-19 tests coming back positive spikes from 4.5 per cent on Wednesday. It was 2.1 per cent on Dec. 1.

34: The average number of hours it takes to receive a COVID-19 test result, up significantly from the 23-hour average one week ago.

1.79:The number of people infected by a single COVID-19 case, or R(t). Therate of spread is considered under control when the number is below one and it hasn't been this high since July 2020.

98.5:The overall weekly incidence rate, arolling seven-day averageof new COVID-19 cases expressed per 100,000 residents. It has doubled in five days.

50:The number of active COVID-19 outbreaks in Ottawa, two more than on Wednesday.

36:The number of those outbreaks in school and child-care settings, including 28in elementary schools.

3:The number of Ottawa residents currently being treated for COVID-19 in an Ottawa hospital is stable. All current patients are 70or older.

0:The number of those Ottawa patients in an intensive care unit.

884,898:The number ofOttawa residents born in 2016 or earlierwith at least one dose of the COVID-19 vaccine, about 2,500 more than in Wednesday's update. That's 89per cent of the eligible population.

818,722:The number ofOttawa residents born in 2016 or earlier with at least two doses, about 550 more than on Wednesday. That's 82per cent of the eligible population.

120,987:The number of Ottawa residents with a third dose, about 21,000more than on Wednesday.

40,682:The number of children in Ottawa born between 2010 and 2016 who have received their first dose of the pediatric COVID-19 vaccine, representing 53per cent of the population within that age group. About 2,000 got their shot in the last twodays.

The Kingston area

426.3: The weekly incidence rate for Kingston, Frontenac and Lennox & Addington(KFL&A) Public Health is the highest on record for any Canadian health unit during the pandemic, according to its medical officer of health.

• Kingston area going back to early autumn COVID-19 rules in latest bid to turn tide

1,272: Its known active case count has risen 11straight days, setting a new local record each time.

25:The number of KFL&Aresidents currently being treated for COVID-19 in a localhospital, a number that has dropped for three days. Fourteenof them are in intensive care.

42:The number of active outbreaks in KFL&A, with 293active cases linked to them.

Across the region

Many local health authorities have warned about an increase inCOVID-19 spread straining theirhealth resources, with fears it will get worse as Omicron takes over.

Quebec reported 103more COVID-19 cases in the OutaouaisThursday, its first day over 100 since April.

Leeds, Grenville and Lanark Counties reported 44more cases andHastings Prince Edward (HPE) reported 27more. Both have weekly incidence rates among the top 10 inthe province.

HPE also confirmed its first Omicron case.

Health units for the Belleville, Kingston and Leeds,Grenville and Lanark areas urge residents to avoid in-person gatherings, as are councils for Akwesasne and Kitigan Zibi Anishinabeg.