WELLINGTON COUNTY – Confirmed COVID-19 cases are down significantly this week across the Wellington-Dufferin-Guelph Public Health (WDGPH) region, while hospitalizations have increased.
Cases
As of Dec. 14, there are 100 confirmed active cases in the region, down 24 per cent from 131 on Dec. 7.
Cases in the region have ranged between 100 and 144 since Nov. 16.
In Wellington County, there are 27 known active cases as of Dec. 14, down 27% from 37 last week.
Two thirds of the county cases are concentrated in Minto (10) in Centre Wellington (eight).
In Dufferin County there are 10 active cases (unchanged from last week) and in Guelph there are 59 (down from 80).
Health experts have previously stated the actual number of cases circulating in a community is at least five times higher than the confirmed case count due to changes in reporting/testing criteria.
WDGPH COVID-19 case data as of Dec. 14, 2022.
Hospitalizations
Hospital data obtained by the Advertiser shows there are 19 COVID patients hospitalized in the region as of Dec. 14 (up from 14 on Dec. 8):
- one between the three hospitals in Wellington County;
- 17 at Guelph General Hospital (GGH); and
- one at Headwaters Health Care Centre in Orangeville.
Two of the hospitalized COVID patients are in an intensive care unit (both at GGH) – unchanged from Dec. 8.
Vaccinations
On Dec. 14 public health considered 27.6% of the local population up to date with vaccination, which it defines as having received a vaccine in the last six months.
It recommends an additional dose for 59.3% of area residents, noting they are eligible for another dose and six months has passed since their previous dose. That leaves 13.1% without a dose.
In Wellington County the figures are 27.4, 57.5 and 15.1% respectively.
Deaths
As of Dec. 14, the WDGPH dashboard shows a total of 190 deaths across the region have been attributed to COVID-19.
Last week the site stated there were 192 deaths and officials say the discrepancy is due to a data cleanup.
Wellington County residents account for 60 of the COVID-19 deaths in the WDGPH region (unchanged).
Facility outbreaks
As of Dec. 12, there are active COVID-19 outbreaks at the following health care facilities:
- Guelph General Hospital (5West unit) declared on Dec. 12;
- Village of Riverside Glen (Emma unit) in Guelph, declared on Dec. 8;
- Caressant Care Harriston (facility-wide), declared on Dec. 5;
- St. Joseph Health Centre Long-Term Care facility (unit 3N) in Guelph, declared on Nov. 25; and
- Wellington Terrace Long-Term Care Home (Oak Glen and Birch Dale units) in Aboyne, declared on Nov. 21.
