Sixth Wellington County resident dies of COVID-19

'We can all start making positive choices right away to limit contacts and go out only for essentials': Williamson

WELLINGTON COUNTY – A woman in her 80s from Wellington County has died due to COVID-19.

The death, reported on Dec. 23 by Wellington-Dufferin-Guelph Public Health (WDGPH), is the fourth COVID-related death in the county in the last two months – and the sixth since the outset of the pandemic.

Public health officials would not say where the woman lived, but noted she died on Dec. 21 at age 84.

The COVID-19 case rate per 100,000 population continues to climb in the WDGPH region. On Dec. 23 it was 94.2, up 12% from 84.2 on Dec. 11.

WDGPH was reporting the following case numbers on Dec. 23:

  • Wellington: 11 new cases, 40 active cases and two people hospitalized with COVID-19;
  • Dufferin: nine new cases, 53 active cases and three hospitalizations; and
  • Guelph: 52 new cases, 173 active cases and eight in hospital.

Active case counts by municipality are included in the table below.

WDGPH image, Dec. 23.

WDGPH spokesperson Danny Williamson is again reminding residents to remain vigilant and follow public health guidelines.

Until COVID-19 vaccinations are available, Williamson said the most important thing local residents can do, particularly over the holidays, is avoid gathering with people outside their household.

“COVID spreads person to person, so (each) extra person we come into close contact with means another chance for the virus to spread,” he said.

“Even though the lockdown doesn’t start until Boxing Day, we can all start making positive choices right away to limit contacts and go out only for essentials.”

Editor