WELLINGTON COUNTY – Confirmed COVID-19 cases are up 26% in the Wellington-Dufferin-Guelph Public Health (WDGPH) region this week, while hospitalizations are down.
And with colder weather on the way, public health officials continue to remind residents to ensure they are up-to-date with vaccinations.
Cases
As of Oct. 26, there are 256 confirmed active cases in the region, up 26% from 203 on Oct. 19.
In Wellington County, there are 65 known active cases, virtually unchanged from last week (63).
In Dufferin County there are 36 active cases (up from 22) and in Guelph there are 145 (up from 98).
Many health officials have previously suggested actual case numbers are five times the reported figures.
COVID-19 case data for WDGPH as of Oct. 26, 2022.
Hospitalizations
As of Oct. 20, there were 17 people hospitalized across the region who tested positive for COVID-19, down from 23 on Oct. 17.
Two COVID-positive individuals were admitted to an ICU, down from three on Oct. 17.
Vaccinations
Starting Oct. 5, WDGPH changed the way it presents COVID-19 vaccination information on its website, “based on the latest provincial vaccination recommendations.”
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 Oct. 26 public health considered 21.6% 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 65.2% of area residents, noting they are eligible for another dose and six months has passed since their previous dose.
That leaves 13.2% of the population that has not yet received a dose.
In Wellington County the figures are 21.6, 63.3 and 15.1% respectively.
Deaths
As of Oct. 26, a total of 183 deaths across the WDGPH region have been attributed to COVID-19 (up from 181 a week ago).
Fifty-nine of those deaths were Wellington County residents (up one from Oct. 19).
WDGPH spokesperson Danny Williamson said the latest Wellington death was a man aged 70 to 79 who died on Oct. 24.
Facility outbreaks
There are seven active COVID-19 outbreaks at four health care facilities as of Oct. 25:
- Birmingham Retirement Community (facility-wide) in Mount Forest, declared Oct. 24;
- Bethsaida retirement home (1N) in Orangeville, declared Oct. 22;
- Stone Lodge retirement home (facility-wide) in Guelph, declared Oct. 21;
- Shelburne Retirement Residence (facility-wide) in Shelburne, declared Oct. 18;
- Eden House (facility-wide) in Guelph/Eramosa, declared Oct. 17;
- Guelph General Hospital (4 West, 7 East and 6 West units), declared Oct. 14;
- Royal Terrace retirement home (facility-wide) in Palmerston, declared Oct. 11; and
- Village of Arbour Trails (Becker and Egerton units) in Guelph, declared Oct. 11.
