WELLINGTON COUNTY – Wellington-Dufferin-Guelph Public Health (WDGPH) is reporting 72 new COVID-19 cases over the weekend (Sept. 10 to 12).
The region’s active case count now sits at 125, a level last seen in early June.
The region’s case rate per 100,000 population has declined from 35.6 on Sept. 5 to 34 as of Sept. 11.
The rate of COVID-19 tests returning positive for the virus has declined slightly from 3.8% on Sept. 3 to 3.4% as of Sept. 9.
The region’s effective reproduction number, used to measure how many additional cases spread or result from a single case, has remained above one since Aug. 22 and sits at 1.03 as of Sept. 11. A value of one or above means cases will increase; below one and spread will eventually cease.
There are five people in the region hospitalized due to COVID-19, none of which are in an ICU. Their vaccination status is not known.
According to provincial data, as of the morning of Sept. 13, there are 262 unvaccinated persons hospitalized with COVID-19 across the province, of which 103 are in an ICU.
Fully vaccinated individuals account for 57 hospitalizations across the province, with 15 in an ICU.
Delta variant
As of Sept. 12, the Delta variant represents 50% of the 667 COVID-19 cases confirmed in the health region since the variant was first reported publicly here on June 15.
On June 14, Public Health Ontario (PHO) began allowing all positive COVID-19 samples to be sent for whole genome sequencing, the only way to truly determine how many cases of Delta there are within local health units.
According to PHO data, Delta represented the vast majority (96.3%) of all 5,950 positive COVID-19 tests that had their DNA sequenced between July 25 and Aug. 21.
The proportion of cases returning positive for Delta increased by 2.1 percentage points from a week earlier, to 98.9% between Aug. 15 and 21.
From July 25 to Aug. 21, labs sequenced 79 positive cases originating from WDGPH, with 77 returning positive for Delta.
Delta represents an estimated 72.7% of cases in Wellington County between Sept. 5 and 11. Region-wide, that estimate is 65.1%.
Local trends
Wellington County had 23 newly confirmed cases reported over the weekend, with 34 total active cases in the county as of Sept. 13.
Active cases in Guelph and Dufferin County are sitting at 67 and 21, respectively.
An additional death attributed to COVID-19 has been reported by WDGPH, increasing the death toll across the region to 127.
Municipality-specific active COVID-19 case counts as of Sept. 13, 2021. (WDGPH image)
Vaccinations
Since Sept. 7, another 2,041 residents have become fully vaccinated with two doses in the WDGPH region, bringing the total as of Sept. 13 to 216,660 or 80.3% of the population aged 12 or older. That’s an increase of less than one per cent from last week.
There are 14,283 residents who have received one dose as of Sept. 13.
According to WDGPH data, between June 20 and Sept. 6, the number of cases in unvaccinated persons was 4.4 times greater than in those fully vaccinated.
In Wellington County 73.8% of eligible residents are two-dose vaccinated as of Sept. 13, behind Dufferin County (76.5%) and significantly behind Guelph (85.8%).
Vaccination rates across Wellington County municipalities as of Sept. 13, 2021. (WDGPH image)
According to WDGPH data tracking vaccination uptake across county municipalities, Centre Wellington has the highest proportion fully vaccinated residents, with 80-89% of the 27,038 people having received two doses.
Mapleton has the lowest proportion, with less than 60% of its 9,087 residents fully vaccinated.
Across the region, there are an estimated 10,237 high school students who are vaccinated with two doses; 873 with only a single dose; and 2,743 students who have not yet received a single dose.
Vaccination rates for local high schools as of Sept. 13, 2021. (WDGPH image)
Outbreaks
As of Sept. 13, outbreaks have been declared at one unnamed bar/restaurant type venue, at the Fresh Salon and Spa in Guelph (Sept. 1), and at the Chartwell Wellington Park retirement residence in Guelph (Sept. 9) involving one resident and one staff member.
There is an active childcare setting outbreak (one staff and one child case) at the Kensington YMCA in Guelph.
Wellington County’s two school boards have reported 10 active cases in eight schools.
