COVID trends in Ottawa mostly low, but test positivity rises to moderate | CBC News

Recent developments:

• Ottawa’s COVID-19 trends are low, but test positivity has increased to a moderate level.
• Five more local COVID deaths have been reported.

The latest

Ottawa’s pandemic trends are stable at levels considered low by Ottawa Public Health (OPH), with the exception of test positivity, which is now moderate.

It’s been more than six months since OPH last said it’s concerned about high levels of COVID-19. It has more recently said the overall situation is better, but risks remain.

Experts recommend that when people feel sick, they stay home and wear a mask if they have to go out in public. Staying up to date with COVID vaccines can also help protect vulnerable people.

Wastewater

Data from the research team shows that as of July 26, the average level of coronavirus in wastewater has been rising slightly in recent days, but to levels OPH still considers low and stable.

Hospitals

The average number of people in Ottawa hospitals for COVID-19 in the last week, including those not from the capital, is three, with no patients in an ICU. OPH switched to a weekly hospitalization average at the start of July.

A separate count, which includes patients who tested positive for COVID after being admitted for other reasons, those admitted for lingering COVID complications and those transferred from other health units, is stable.

Tests, outbreaks, deaths and vaccines

The city’s weekly average test positivity rate is about 10.4 per cent, which OPH says is moderate. Last week it was about six per cent.

There are six active COVID outbreaks, which is low.

The health unit reported 47 more COVID cases in the last week and two more COVID deaths, after three deaths the week prior.

The next Ottawa COVID vaccination update is expected in the first week of August.

Across the region

Spread

Coronavirus wastewater averages are at least a week old in Kingston, Cornwall and Hawkesbury and Brockville and Smiths Falls. They’re otherwise not publicly shared; Quebec has stopped publishing data for Gatineau.

The average COVID-19 test positivity rate is about 10 per cent in the Eastern Ontario Health Unit (EOHU), about 12 per cent in the Kingston area and about three per cent in Renfrew County.

Hospitalizations and deaths

Eastern Ontario communities outside Ottawa report six COVID-19 hospitalizations, with two of these patients in intensive care.

That regional count doesn’t include Hastings Prince Edward (HPE) Public Health, which shares a weekly average of its local hospitalization count. That number was low, around three, in the most recent update from July 26.

Western Quebec has a stable nine hospital patients with COVID, with none in intensive care.