Number of Ottawa COVID-19 hospitalizations hits six week low

Ottawa Public Health (OPH) is reporting a new community outbreak, but says the number of local COVID-19 hospitalizations is lower than it's been in six weeks.

The new outbreak being reported on Monday, December 6, is within a religious organization. Three other community outbreaks being monitored by OPH stem from recreation, manufacturing and a multi-unit dwelling. The health unit says there are also ongoing outbreaks at 17 schools, three childcare centres and four healthcare institutions.

OPH is confirming 55 new cases of COVID-19 in Ottawa, Monday. There have been 361 new cases in Ottawa over the last seven days and 364 Delta variant cases in the last 30 days.

No new COVID-19 deaths in the city leaves its pandemic death toll at 618.

The health unit says there are seven Ottawans in hospital with COVID-19, two of whom are in an ICU. Hospitalizations haven't been this low in Ottawa since October 25, 2021.

OPH knows of 431 active cases of COVID-19 in the community.

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 88 per cent have now had both necessary to be considered immunized. The health unit says 87 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 15.3, whereas the rate for those unvaccinated (or vaccinated with one dose under 14 days) is 50.6. The rate per 100,000 residents for those who are waiting for their second shot is 38.7.

Residents being tested for COVID-19 in Ottawa are seeing positive results 2.5 per cent of the time.

Ontario is reporting 887 new COVID-19 cases on Monday, as well as three new deaths from the virus. Health Minister Christine Elliott says people who are not fully vaccinated account for 397 of the new cases, and make up 23.3 per cent of Ontario's population, while 64 cases are in people whose vaccination status isn't known.

There have been 32,333 confirmed cases of COVID-19 in Ottawa (31,284 resolved) since March of 2020.