Another COVID-19 death in Ottawa as health unit confirms 309 new cases city-wide

Ottawa Public Health (OPH) is reporting one new death due to COVID-19, 309 new cases in the community and several new outbreaks.

A resident in their 90s is the latest victim of COVID-19. Ottawa's pandemic death toll is up to 620 as of Friday, December 17. The deceased break down by age group as follows: one person in their 20s; one in their 30s; eight in their 40s; 30 in their 50s; 75 in their 60s; 116 in their 70s; 211 in their 80s; and 178 in their 90s.

There have been 1,039 new cases of COVID-19 confirmed in the last seven days. The health unit says it's linked 411 cases to the Delta variant in the last 30 days, which makes up 47 per cent of all local variant-related cases. There have been 18 cases of Omicron,which makes up two per centof all variant cases in the last 30 days.

OPH knows of 1,223 active cases of COVID-19 in Ottawa, but just three Ottawans are in hospital with COVID-19 and none are in intensive care. There were five COVID-19 patients in Ottawa on Thursday. The Ontario Science Table says, however, that the number of COVID-19 infections could get high enough that even a small percentage of those people ending up in hospital would cause significant issues for the healthcare system.

As of Friday there are outbreaks at 33 schools, three childcare centres, and three healthcare institutions. The local health unit is monitoring 11 community outbreaks.

OPH also continues to investigate COVID-19 exposures linked to the Westin Ottawa, Xtreme Trampoline, and the Big Wreck concert at Bronson Centre on December 7. Other exposures are being investigated at the Shenkman Arts Centre's Le Group Swing event on December 10, The National Arts Centre's Nutcracker Ballet on December 5, a screening of American Underdog at the Cineplex on Carling Avenue on December 8, and at Goodlife Fitness at Lansdowne.

Residents being tested for COVID-19 in Ottawa are seeing positive results 6.3 per cent of the time. That's shot up from what was 2.8 per cent on December 8. 

According to Ottawa's vaccination dashboard, 91 per cent of residents over the age of 12 have had at least one shot of a COVID-19 vaccine and 89 per cent have now had both necessary to be considered immunized. The health unit says 89 per cent of residents over the age of five have had one shot against COVID-19 and 82 per cent have had two.

The rate of infection among Ottawa's unvaccinated vaccine-eligible population is three times higher than it is for the fully vaccinated population. The local rate of infection per 100,000 residents for those vaccinated against the virus is at 22.7, whereas the rate for those unvaccinated (or vaccinated with one dose under 14 days) is 61.6. The rate per 100,000 residents for those who are waiting for their second shot is 44.5.

Ontario is reporting 3,124 COVID-19 cases on Friday — the first time since May 9 that the daily case count has reached over 3,000. The positivity rate is 8.2 per cent, as just over 51,000 tests were completed.

There have been 33,712 confirmed cases of COVID-19 in Ottawa (31,869 resolved) since March of 2020.