WELLINGTON COUNTY – Despite a province-wide lockdown imposed on Dec. 26, the Wellington-Dufferin-Guelph Public Health (WDGPH) region continues to set records for new and active cases of COVID-19.
On Jan. 11 the health unit reported a record 192 new weekend cases (Jan. 8 to 10).
The update notes there are currently a record 489 active cases in the region, up 55% from 315 three weeks ago, and five people are hospitalized with the virus.
This is the sixth weekend in a row new WDGPH cases have surpassed triple digits. Previous weekend totals were:
- 163 on Jan. 4;
- 128 on Dec. 28;
- 133 on Dec. 21;
- 117 on Dec. 14; and
- 100 on Dec. 7.
Regional COVID-19 indicators such as case rate per 100,000 population and test positivity rate continued to climb to 149.2.6 and 5.9% respectively on Jan. 11.
Wellington County
Two people are hospitalized with COVID-19 in Wellington County, which had 46 new weekend cases and now has 90 active cases.
Both are record highs, and active cases in the county have doubled from a month ago (45 on Dec. 14).
Wellington County’s seven-day average for daily cases, which is often used to indicate trends, has almost doubled over the last month (from 6.14 on Dec. 11 to 12.0 on Jan. 11).
Municipality-specific cases in the county are as follows:
- 38 in Wellington North;
- 20 in Centre Wellington;
- eight each in Guelph-Eramosa, Minto and Mapleton;
- seven in Erin; and
- one in Puslinch.
Active COVID-19 cases as of Jan. 11 (WDGPH image).
Outbreaks and holiday impacts
Most of the Wellington North cases can be attributed to two COVID-19 outbreaks at Caressant Care Arthur affecting 32 residents and 21 staff members.
(Reporting is based on residency, so staff members living outside the township will not be included in Wellington North figures).
There are currently 13 facility outbreaks in the WDGPH region, including six in Wellington County.
The latest outbreak, declared on Jan. 7, is at Strathcona Long-Term Care in Mount Forest, where one staff member at the facility has tested positive.
WDGPH spokesperson Danny Williamson said residents ignoring public health guidelines over the holidays likely played a role in the recent surge in cases in the region.
“Given the rise in cases and our understanding that private gatherings are a significant driver of cases, it is very likely played a factor in the rise of cases,” Williamson stated.
“As we get further into January, we will have a better understanding of how much the holidays may have contributed to rising cases.”
The City of Guelph has the most cases in the region (118 new and 256 active, with three hospitalizations).
Dufferin County has 31 new cases, 89 active cases (52 in Orangeville) and zero people in hospital.
