WELLINGTON COUNTY – Confirmed COVID-19 cases in the Wellington-Dufferin-Guelph Public Health (WDGPH) region are down significantly for the second week in a row, while the number of people hospitalized with COVID has dropped slightly.
Cases
As of Nov. 16, there are 144 confirmed active cases in the region, down 32% from 213 on Nov. 9.
In Wellington County, there are 47 known active cases, down from 56 last week.
In Dufferin County there are 19 active cases (down from 32) and in Guelph there are 73 (down from 109).
Many health officials have previously suggested actual case numbers are likely five times the reported figures.
WDGPH COVID-19 case data as of Nov. 16, 2022.
Hospitalizations
As of Nov. 8, there were 25 people hospitalized across the region who tested positive for COVID-19, down from 29 on Nov. 7.
Two COVID-positive individuals were admitted to an ICU, down from three on Nov. 7.
Vaccinations
Starting Oct. 5, WDGPH changed the way it presents COVID-19 vaccination information on its website.
Instead of including percentages for those who have received one, two and three doses, the dashboard now classifies residents into three categories:
- “up to date” with vaccination;
- “additional dose recommended;” or
- “initiate population” (those without any vaccinations).
On Nov. 16 public health considered 24.9% 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 62% 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 24.9, 60 and 15.1% respectively.
As colder weather arrives, public health officials continue to remind residents to stay up-to-date with vaccinations.
Deaths
As of Nov. 16, a total of 189 deaths across the WDGPH region have been attributed to COVID-19, up one from 188 a week ago.
Wellington County residents account for 60 of the COVID-19 deaths in the WDGPH region (unchanged).
Facility outbreaks
There were four active COVID-19 outbreaks at four health care facilities in the region as of Nov. 15:
- Royal Terrace long-term care home (facility-wide) in Palmerston, declared Nov. 7;
- Guelph General Hospital (Unit 7E) in Guelph, declared Oct. 14;
- St. Joseph Health Centre (Whispering Oaks) in Guelph, declared Oct. 8; and
- Stone Lodge retirement home (facility-wide) in Guelph, declared Oct. 21.
