WELLINGTON COUNTY – Wellington-Dufferin-Guelph Public Health (WDGPH) is reporting 23 new COVID-19 cases over the weekend (Oct. 22 to 24).
The region’s active case count now sits at 53 and its case rate per 100,000 population has, as of Oct. 23, decreased to 17.3—last seen Oct. 10.
The rate of COVID-19 tests returning positive for the virus has fallen from 2% on Oct. 14 to 1.7% as of Oct. 21.
The region’s effective reproduction number, used to measure how many additional cases spread or result from a single case, dropped to 0.93 as of Oct. 23 after remaining above one for much of the month. A value of one or above means cases will increase; below one and spread will eventually cease.
There are four people in the region hospitalized with COVID-19, three of which are in an ICU as of Oct. 21. Their vaccination status is not known.
According to provincial data, as of the morning of Oct. 25, there are 190 unvaccinated persons hospitalized with COVID-19 across the province, of which 71 are in an ICU.
Fully vaccinated individuals account for 52 hospitalizations across the province, with 16 in an ICU.
Delta variant
As of Oct. 25, the Delta variant represents 38% of the 1,195 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 (99.6%) of all 2,041 positive COVID-19 tests that had their DNA sequenced between Sept. 5 and Oct. 2.
Over the same time period, labs sequenced 44 positive cases originating from WDGPH, with all returning positive for Delta.
Delta represents an estimated 85.7% of cases in Wellington County between Oct. 17 and 23. Region-wide, that estimate is 74.1%.
Local trends
Wellington County had 14 newly-confirmed cases reported over the weekend, with 24 total active cases in the county as of Oct. 25.
Active cases in Guelph and Dufferin County are sitting at 13 and 14, respectively.
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 Oct. 25, 2021. (WDGPH image)
Vaccinations
Since Oct. 12, another 891 residents have become fully vaccinated with two doses in the WDGPH region, bringing the total as of Oct. 18 to 230,860 or 85% of the population aged 12 or older.
That’s an increase of less than one per cent over last week and the first time week-over-week second dose gains have fallen under 1,000.
There are 8,116 residents who have received one dose as of Oct. 25.
Vaccination rates across Wellington County municipalities as of Oct. 25, 2021. (WDGPH image)
According to Ontario’s COVID-19 Advisory Science Table data, as of Oct. 23, there were 89 new cases every day per million people in those unvaccinated, compared with 13 cases per day in those fully vaccinated.
The data concludes there’s an 85.3% risk reduction of contracting a case with two vaccine doses.
In Wellington County 77.9% of eligible residents are two-dose vaccinated as of Oct. 25.
According to WDGPH data tracking vaccination uptake across county municipalities, Wellington North still leads the way for the largest share of a municipality’s residents having two doses.
Upwards of 9,704 residents could be fully vaccinated, with WDGPH reporting between 85 and 89 per cent of 10,904 Wellington North residents with two doses.
Centre Wellington, with its significantly larger population, still has the largest representation of people vaccinated with between 22,896 and 27,226 residents with two doses (80 to 84%).
Mapleton and Erin continue lingering behind, with less than 70% of their residents fully vaccinated.
Across the region, there are an estimated 11,176 high school students who are vaccinated with two doses; 484 with only a single dose; and 2,189 students who have not yet received a single dose.
Vaccination rates for local high schools as of Oct. 25, 2021. (WDGPH image)
Outbreaks
As of Oct. 21, an outbreak has been declared at Erin Dental Centre.
A previous outbreak involving 10 elementary students and a staff member at Dufferin Area Christian School was declared on Oct. 22.
As of the morning of Oct. 25, two schools within the WDGPH catchment area have reported six active cases. Both schools are in Orangeville.
