Significant changes: COVID-19 cases down but hospitalizations up

WELLINGTON COUNTY – Confirmed COVID-19 cases in the Wellington-Dufferin-Guelph Public Health (WDGPH) region are down significantly this week but the number of people hospitalized with COVID has increased.

Cases

As of Nov. 9, there are 213 confirmed active cases in the region, down 24% from 281 on Nov. 2.

In Wellington County, there are 56 known active cases, down from 75 last week.

In Dufferin County there are 32 active cases (down from 55) and in Guelph there are 109 (down from 134).

Many health officials have previously suggested actual case numbers are five times the reported figures.

WDGPH COVID-19 case data as of Nov. 9, 2022.

 

Hospitalizations

As of Nov. 7, there are 29 people hospitalized across the region who tested positive for COVID-19, up from 20 on Oct. 31.

Three COVID-positive individuals were admitted to an ICU, down from four on Oct. 31.

Vaccinations

Starting Oct. 5, WDGPH changed the way it presents COVID-19 vaccination information on its website.

Instead of including percentages for those who have received one, two and three doses, the dashboard now classifies residents into three categories:

  • “up to date” with vaccination;
  • “additional dose recommended;” or
  • “initiate population” (those without any vaccinations).

On Nov. 9 public health considered 23.9% 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 63% 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 are 23.9, 61 and 15.1% respectively.

As colder weather arrives, public health officials continue to remind residents to stay up-to-date with vaccinations.

Deaths

As of Nov. 9, a total of 188 deaths across the WDGPH region have been attributed to COVID-19, up from 184 a week ago.

Wellington County residents account for 60 of the COVID-19 deaths in the WDGPH region, up from 59.

WDGPH spokesperson Danny Williamson provided the following details on the four deaths reported this week, which he said occurred between Oct. 27 and Nov. 9:

  • a woman aged 80-plus from Dufferin County;
  • two women over 80 from Guelph; and
  • a man aged 60 to 69 from Wellington County.

Facility outbreaks

There were seven active COVID-19 outbreaks at five health care facilities in the region as of Nov. 7:

  • Homewood Health Centre (Manor 1 and 2) in Guelph, declared Oct. 28 and Nov. 1;
  • Birmingham Retirement Community (facility-wide) in Mount Forest, declared Oct. 24;
  • Eden House (facility-wide) in Guelph/Eramosa, declared Oct. 17;
  • Stone Lodge retirement home (facility-wide) in Guelph, declared Oct. 21; and
  • Village of Arbour Trails (Becker and Egerton units) in Guelph, declared Oct. 11.