WELLINGTON COUNTY – Wellington-Dufferin-Guelph Public Health (WDGPH) is reporting 26 new COVID-19 cases over the weekend (Nov. 19 to 21).
The region’s active case count sits at 72 as of Nov. 22.
The case rate per 100,000 population has, as of Nov. 20, risen to 19.2 from 11.2 two weeks ago.
Also increased for the past two weeks is the rate of COVID-19 tests returning positive for the virus, from 1.2% on Oct. 28 to 1.9% from Nov. 4 to 18.
The region’s effective reproduction number, used to measure how many additional cases spread or result from a single case, was 0.81 at the end of October before rising to 1.26 on Nov. 6 and again falling to 0.98 as of Nov. 20. A value of one or above means cases will increase; below one and spread will eventually cease.
Three people in the region are hospitalized with COVID-19, of which one is in an ICU as of Nov. 18. Vaccination statuses are unknown.
According to provincial data, as of the morning of Nov. 22, there are 149 unvaccinated persons hospitalized with COVID-19 across the province, of which 59 are in an ICU.
Fully vaccinated individuals account for 83 hospitalizations across the province, with 17 in an ICU.
Delta variant breakdown no longer being reported
The Advertiser has previously reported the prevalence of the Delta variant in the makeup of COVID-19 cases across the WDGPH region since the variant was first reported here in public data on June 15.
Public Health Ontario (PHO) has, as of Nov. 16, stopped reporting specific variants of concern in its daily and weekly epidemiological summaries, citing Delta as the predominant strain of COVID-19.
PHO began allowing all positive COVID-19 samples to be sent for whole genome sequencing as of June 14—that practise will continue.
Local trends
Wellington County had 15 newly-confirmed cases over the weekend reporting period, with 35 total active cases in the county as of Nov. 22.
There are 18 active cases in Guelph and 14 in Dufferin County as of Nov. 22.
The death toll attributed to COVID-19 across the region remains unchanged from last week’s total of 127.
Municipality-specific active COVID-19 case counts as of Nov. 22, 2021. (WDGPH image)
Vaccinations
Since Nov. 15, another 809 residents have become fully vaccinated with two doses in the WDGPH region, bringing the total as of Nov. 22 to 235,491 or 86.7% of the population aged 12 or older.
That’s an increase of less than one per cent over last week.
As of Nov. 22, there are 5,903 residents who have received one dose.
According to Ontario’s COVID-19 Advisory Science Table data, as of Nov. 22, there were 165 new cases every day per million people in those unvaccinated, compared with 31 cases per day in those fully vaccinated.
The data concludes there’s an 81% risk reduction of contracting a case with two vaccine doses.
In Wellington County 79.4% of eligible residents are two-dose vaccinated as of Nov. 22.
Mapleton continues to have less than 70% of its residents fully vaccinated—consistently the lowest vaccination rate in the county.
Vaccination rates across Wellington County municipalities as of Nov. 22, 2021. (WDGPH image)
Across the region, there are an estimated 11,550 high school students who are vaccinated with two doses; 361 with only a single dose; and 1,972 students who have not yet received a single dose.
In elementary schools falling within the WDGPH catchment area, there are an estimated 4,789 eligible elementary school students at least 12 years old who are vaccinated with two doses; 204 with only a single dose; and 1,187 students who have not yet received a single dose.
Outbreaks
There are currently outbreaks of COVID-19 at an unnamed fitness facility and an unnamed retail, grocery or mall setting.
As of the morning of Nov. 22, eight schools within the WDGPH catchment area have reported 14 active cases.
Outbreaks have been declared at Owl’s Nest Holistic Alternative School, with three child and two staff cases; and at a private child care provider with two child cases. Both outbreaks are within Wellington County.
