The COVID-19 picture in Ottawa remains stable as the temperature rises

Recent developments:

• Ottawa's COVID-19 numbers are stable.
• The EOHU's COVID risk level remains moderate.
• Three more local peoplewith COVIDhavedied in the last week.

The latest

Ottawa Public Health (OPH) said in its latest overviewthe city's COVID-19 pictureis generally stableat levels ranging from low to very high.

Overall, indicators have remained stable or have droppedfor nearly three months.

Expertsrecommendpeople wear masks indoorsand, in Ontario, in the daysafter having COVID symptoms. Staying home when sickandstaying up to date with COVIDvaccinescan alsohelp protect vulnerable people.

Wastewater

Data from the research teamshows the average coronavirus wastewater levelwas stable for nearly a week as of the last update April 5. In that last update, the average jumped to its highest point in nearly three months.

OPHconsiders this level to be very high.

Hospitals

The number of Ottawa residentsin local hospitals for COVID-19 hasbeen generally stable around 20 for nearly two months.

A separate countthat includespatientswho testedpositive for COVIDafter being admitted for other reasons, those admitted for lingering COVIDcomplications, and thosetransferred from other health units has dropped.

Tests, outbreaks and deaths

Ottawahas 14 active COVID outbreaks, which is stable. According to OPH, that numberis considered low.

The city'sCOVID-19 test positivity rate has stayed around eight or nineper cent this month, which OPH says is moderate.

OPHreported 112 more COVID cases in the last weekand thedeaths of two people who hadCOVID, one in their 70s and another in their 80s.

Vaccines

Ontario's vaccine recommendations changed last week.

Booster doses are recommended for higher-risk peopleafter six months, while people who aren't higher risk and have had a booster since September 2022 are told to wait for an update closer to autumn.

Twenty-threeper 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. Thisdoes not factor inimmunity from getting COVID.

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

Across the region

Spread

TheEastern Ontario Health Unit (EOHU)'sCOVID-19 risk levelremains moderate. Trends there are stable or dropping.

Coronavirus wastewater averages are low and stablein the Kingston areaand stable in Brockville.They'reotherwise out of date or unavailable outside of Ottawa.

The health unit forLeeds, Grenville and Lanarkcounties says it will no longerhavewastewater data for Kemptville.

Renfrew County's average COVID test positivity rate drops to around six per cent, its lowest level in 2023. It's a stable 13 per cent in the Kingston area.

Hospitalizations and deaths

Eastern Ontario communities outsideOttawa reportabout 20COVID-19 hospitalizations, withtwo patients in intensive care.

That regional countdoesn'tincludeHastings Prince Edward (HPE) Public Health,which has a different counting method. It shares a weekly average of itslocal hospitalization count, whichdrops toaround eight patients.

Western Quebec has 40 hospital patients with COVID, its lowest count since June 2022. One of them isin intensive care.

The EOHU reportsits 301st COVID death.

Vaccines

The Kingston area's health unit says 19per cent of its population age five and up have had a COVID vaccine in the last six months. Itdrops to 21per cent in HPE and remains unavailable elsewhere.

Across eastern Ontario, between 79 and90 per cent of residents age five and up have received at least two COVID-19 vaccine doses, and between 52 and65 per cent of those residentshave hadat leastthree, according to the province.