Ottawa region COVID trends mostly low and stable as May ends

Recent developments:

• Ottawa's COVID-19 numbers are mostly low and stable.
• Its average test positivity continues to rise.
• No more local COVID deaths have been reported since Friday's update.

The latest

Ottawa's pandemic trends are mostly low and stable, according to Ottawa Public Health (OPH).

OPH has not indicated any concerning trend since early this year, which is similar to the wider region outside of Ottawa.

Experts recommend people wear masks indoors. Staying up to date with COVID vaccines can also help protect vulnerable people. Other guidance can vary between Ontario and Quebec.

Wastewater

Data from the research team shows, as of the most recent update May 26, the average coronavirus wastewater level has been low and stable for about two weeks.

This average generally stayed within the same range for a year, so this month has broken that trend.

It's currently at its lowest reading since February 2022.

Hospitals

The number of Ottawa residents in local hospitals for COVID-19 has been slowly dropping. The number dropped to six in Tuesday's update, with no patients in ICU.

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, remains stable.

Tests, outbreaks and deaths

The city's weekly average test positivity rate, which sits around 14 per cent, has been rising for a week based on an average of about 105 tests a day. It's currently seen by OPH as moderate.

Ottawa has a stable six active COVID outbreaks, which OPH considers low.

The health unit reported 61 more COVID cases since Friday and zero COVID deaths, keeping its 2023 total to 76.

Vaccines

Ten per cent of Ottawans age five and older have had a COVID-19 vaccine dose within the last six months, with older age groups having higher vaccination rates. This does not factor in immunity from getting COVID.

Ontario's vaccine recommendations changed in early April to focus on higher-risk people.

As of the most recent weekly update, 85 per cent of Ottawa residents had at least one COVID vaccine dose, 82 per cent had at least two, 56 per cent at least three and 31 per cent at least four.

Across the region

Spread

The Eastern Ontario Health Unit (EOHU)'s COVID-19 risk level is currently low alongside low hospitalization rates, active cases and outbreaks, but its test positivity rate is moderate at about 18 per cent.

Coronavirus wastewater averages are otherwise out of date or unavailable outside of Ottawa.

Hospitalizations and deaths

Eastern Ontario communities outside Ottawa report about 10 COVID-19 hospitalizations, with two 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: four in its most recent weekly update, with two in intensive care.

Western Quebec has 79 hospital patients with COVID. One of them is in intensive care.

Vaccines

The Kingston area's health unit says 12 per cent of its population age five and older have had a COVID vaccine in the last six months.

That number is 11 per cent in HPE, and it remains unavailable elsewhere.

Front Burner26:27The End of COVID?

COVID-19 disrupted almost everything about our lives when it struck. Now, as the WHO says the global emergency over the novel virus is over, how dangerous is the virus and what will it be like to live with it into the future? Helen Branswell is a world-respected reporter who has spent her career writing about infectious disease and global health. She writes for STAT News and takes us through the latest science. For transcripts of this series, please visit: https://www.cbc.ca/radio/frontburner/transcripts