WELLINGTON COUNTY – Wellington-Dufferin-Guelph Public Health (WDGPH) is reporting 70 new COVID-19 cases over the weekend (Sept. 17 to 19).
The region’s active case count now sits at 201, a level last seen on May 31 when active cases hit 215.
The region’s case rate per 100,000 population has increased from 35.6 during the first week of the month to 50.6 as of Sept. 18.
The rate of COVID-19 tests returning positive for the virus has increased slightly from 3.4% on Sept. 9 to 4% as of Sept. 16.
The region’s effective reproduction number, used to measure how many additional cases spread or result from a single case, is now 0.90, dipping below one for the first time since August. A value of one or above means cases will increase; below one and spread will eventually cease.
There are six people in the region hospitalized due to COVID-19, two of which are in an ICU as of Sept. 16. Their vaccination status is not known.
According to provincial data, as of the morning of Sept. 20, there are 248 unvaccinated persons hospitalized with COVID-19 across the province, of which 115 are in an ICU.
Fully vaccinated individuals account for 45 hospitalizations across the province, with 11 in an ICU.
Delta variant
As of Sept. 20, the Delta variant represents 44% of the 842 COVID-19 cases confirmed in the health region since cases of the variant were 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 (97.8%) of all 7,939 positive COVID-19 tests that had their DNA sequenced between Aug. 1 and 28.
The proportion of cases returning positive for Delta increased from 99% a week earlier, to 99.4% between Aug. 22 and 28.
From Aug. 1 to 28, labs sequenced 115 positive cases originating from WDGPH, with 113 returning positive for Delta.
Delta represented an estimated 81.6% of cases in Wellington County between Sept. 12 and 18. Region-wide, that estimate is 75.9%.
Local trends
Wellington County had 16 newly confirmed cases reported over the weekend, with 46 total active cases in the county as of Sept. 20.
Active cases in Guelph and Dufferin County are sitting at 129 and 22, respectively.
The death toll attributed to COVID-19 across the region remains unchanged from last week’s report of 127 deaths.
Municipality-specific active COVID-19 case counts as of Sept. 20, 2021. (WDGPH image)
Vaccinations
Since Sept. 13, another 2,784 residents have become fully vaccinated with two doses in the WDGPH region, bringing the total as of Sept. 20 to 219,444 or 81.3% of the population aged 12 or older. That’s an increase of 1.28% from last week.
There are 13,214 residents who have received one dose as of Sept. 20.
According to Ontario COVID-19 Advisory Science Table data, as of Sept. 18, there were 152 new cases every day per million people in those unvaccinated, compared with 23 cases per day in those fully vaccinated. The data concludes there’s an 85% risk reduction of contracting a case with two vaccine doses.
In Wellington County 74.7% of eligible residents are two-dose vaccinated as of Sept. 20.
Vaccination rates across Wellington County municipalities as of Sept. 20, 2021. (WDGPH image)
According to WDGPH data tracking vaccination uptake across county municipalities, Centre Wellington has the highest proportion of fully vaccinated residents, with 80-89% of its 27,038 residents 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 10,403 high school students who are vaccinated with two doses; 831 with only a single dose; and 2,619 students who have not yet received a single dose.
Vaccination rates for local high schools as of Sept. 20, 2021. (WDGPH image)
Outbreaks
As of Sept. 14, outbreaks have been declared at an unnamed recreational facility, an unnamed personal service setting and at the Chartwell Wellington Park retirement residence in Guelph (Sept. 9) involving two residents and one staff member.
There is also an active childcare setting outbreak (one staff and three child cases) at Little Angels Development in Wellington County.
Wellington County’s two school boards have reported 41 active cases in 20 schools of which three are at schools within the county.
