WELLINGTON COUNTY – Confirmed COVID-19 cases and hospitalizations are down for the first time in weeks in the Wellington-Dufferin-Guelph Public Health (WDGPH) region.
There are 277 confirmed active cases in the region as of Aug. 3, an 8% decrease from 300 cases a week ago.
This marks the first decrease in confirmed cases in the region in about a month.
Local cases essentially doubled in July – from 153 to 300 between July 3 and 27 – following a steady decline in May and June.
In Wellington County, there are 75 known active cases as of Aug. 3, essentially unchanged from 76 a week ago.
In Dufferin County there are 36 actives cases (up from 35 a week ago) and in Guelph there are 144 (down from 174 last week).
Ontario’s Chief Medical Officer of Health Dr. Kieran Moore stated earlier this summer that actual case counts across the province are likely five times the reported numbers.
WDGPH COVID-19 case data as of Aug. 3, 2022. (WDGPH image)
Hospitalizations
Twenty-three people are hospitalized with COVID-19 across the region as of July 27, with none in intensive care units [ICU] – down slightly from 26 a week prior (one in an ICU).
Hospitalizations have increased dramatically since the end of May, when there were five people hospitalized with the virus (none in an ICU).
Vaccinations
As of Aug. 3, across the WDGPH region 59.8% of residents aged 12 and older have received at least three vaccine doses, while 89% of those five and older have received two doses and 91.5% have received a single dose.
At the county level, as of Wednesday, 60.7% of Wellington residents aged 12 and older have received at least three vaccine doses, 87.5% of those five and older have had two doses, and 89.7% have received a single dose.
Fourth doses are now available for all Ontarians aged 18 to 59, as are Moderna vaccines for those aged six months to five years.
Deaths
There have been no new COVID-19 deaths in the region this week.
To date, a total of 165 deaths across the WDGPH region have been attributed to COVID-19, including 55 in Wellington County.
Outbreaks
As of July 29, there are 12 active COVID-19 outbreaks at health care facilities in the region, including the following in Guelph/Wellington:
- Guelph General Hospital (Unit 7 east), declared on July 18;
- Village of Arbour Trails retirement home (Emma Unit) in Guelph, declared June 30;
- Caressant Care long-term care facility in Arthur, declared July 20;
- Chartwell Royal and Wellington Park retirement homes in Guelph, declared July 21 and 26;
- Homewood Health Centre in Guelph, declared July 20;
- Morriston Park retirement home in Puslinch, declared July 22;
- Village of Riverside Glen retirement and long-term care homes (various units) in Guelph, declared July 9 and 24;
- St. Joseph’s Health Centre (long-term care, unit 4N), declared July 28; and
- Strathcona long-term care home (second floor) in Mount Forest, declared July 28.
