WELLINGTON COUNTY – The county and the Wellington-Dufferin-Guelph Public Health (WDGPH) region continue to set new highs for active COVID-19 cases.
The region reported 231 new cases over the weekend (April 16 to 18), bringing active cases to a record high of 679, breaking the previous record of 634 set on April 15.
WDGPH’s COVID-19 indicators have ballooned in recent weeks.
As of April 19, the region’s case rate per 100,000 population is 165.4 and its test positivity rate was 6.6%.
A week ago those figures were 148.1 and 5.7% respectively – and three weeks ago they were 38.5 and 1.9%.
Across the region 18 people are hospitalized with COVID-19, including eight in intensive care units at either Guelph General Hospital or Headwaters Health Care in Orangeville (Wellington County hospitals do not have ICUs).
“[April 19] marked the greatest number of COVID-19 patients in ICUs in our region at any point in the pandemic,” WDGPH spokesperson Danny Williamson confirmed.
“These new variants of concern are absolutely serious. Not only do they threaten serious illness and death – including to those under 40 – but they also put dangerous pressure on our healthcare system.“
Virus-related hospitalizations are up by 50% over three days – on April 16 there were 12 people hospitalized with the virus.
“As cases continue to rise here in Wellington-Dufferin-Guelph, our healthcare system faces the prospect of impossible choices as we use up scarce resources,” said Williamson.
“Please do all you can to reduce the spread of the virus to ensure that COVID-19 patients and the many others who need our hospitals are able to access the vital care they require.”
County trends
Wellington County had 45 new cases over the weekend and now has a record-high 122 active cases (the previous high was 119 on April 16).
The county’s case count has increased 37% over the last week (89 cases on April 12) and has quadrupled over the last three weeks (30 cases on March 30).
The county’s seven-day average for daily cases, which is often used to indicate trends, is now 13.57 – up from 11.43 last week and a significant increase from two weeks ago, when it was 5.57.
Dufferin County had 66 new cases over the weekend and now has 154 active cases, up from 123 one week ago.
Guelph had 116 new cases over the weekend and now has 386 active cases, down from 399 last week.
Active case counts by municipality are included in the table below.
Municipality-specific active COVID-19 case counts as of April 19, 2021. (WDGPH image)
Outbreaks
There are currently two facility outbreaks in the WDGPH region:
- Homewood Health Centre in Guelph, Manor 2N (four staff cases, four patient cases, declared April 5); and
- Wellington Terrace Long-Term Care Home in Aboyne (five staff cases, declared on April 2).
School cases
Ontario schools have returned to online-only learning as of April 19, following the one-week break rescheduled from March.
However, four schools in the region are reporting COVID-19 cases:
- Centre Wellington District High School in Fergus, one case, one cohort closed;
- Edward Johnson Public School in Guelph, one case, one classroom closed;
- Arbour Vitsa PS in Guelph, one case, one classroom closed; and
- Mary Phelan Catholic Elementary School in Guelph, one case, one classroom closed.
As of April 15, 1,302 schools in Ontario (27%) are reporting COVID-19 cases.
