WELLINGTON COUNTY – Confirmed COVID-19 cases are up for the first time in five weeks across the Wellington-Dufferin-Guelph Public Health (WDGPH) region, while hospitalizations remain steady.
Cases
As of Feb. 8, there are 145 confirmed active cases in the region, up 22 per cent from 119 a week ago.
This marks the first time since Jan. 4 that local cases have increased.
Previously cases had dropped steadily for four weeks, following a massive increase in cases over the Christmas holidays (there were 230 confirmed cases on Jan. 4).
In Wellington County, there are 29 known active cases as of Feb. 8, up from 21 on Feb. 1.
In Dufferin County there are 22 active cases (up from 20) and in Guelph there are 90 (up from 72).
Health experts have previously stated the actual number of cases circulating in a community is at least five times higher than the confirmed case count due to changes in reporting/testing criteria.
WDGPH COVID-19 case data as of Feb. 8, 2023.
Hospitalizations
Hospital data on the public health COVID-19 dashboard shows there are nine people with COVID-19 in hospitals across the region as of Feb. 6 (unchanged since Jan. 30).
There are no COVID patients in intensive care units in the region (there was one on Jan. 30).
Vaccinations
On Feb. 8 public health considered 26.4% of the local population up to date with vaccination, which it defines as having received a vaccine in the last six months.
It recommends an additional dose for 60.5% of area residents, noting they are eligible for another dose and six months has passed since their previous dose.
That leaves 13.1% without a dose.
In Wellington County the figures were 26.6, 58.3 and 15.1% respectively.
Deaths
As of Feb. 8, the WDGPH dashboard shows a total of 197 deaths across the region have been attributed to COVID-19.
Wellington County residents account for 62 of the regional COVID-19 deaths.
Both figures are unchanged over the last two weeks.
Facility outbreaks
As of Feb. 7, there were active COVID-19 outbreaks at the following health care facilities:
- Village of Riverside Glen in Guelph (long-term care home, Nichol and Arthur units), declared Jan. 28; and
- Dufferin Oaks in Shelburne (long-term care home, third floor).
