WELLINGTON COUNTY – Confirmed COVID-19 cases across the Wellington-Dufferin-Guelph Public Health (WDGPH) region have risen significantly over the past two weeks, while hospitalizations are up slightly.
Cases
As of Jan. 4, there are 230 confirmed active cases in the region, up 49 per cent from 154 on Dec. 21.
(Public health regularly updates it website on Wednesdays, but did not have an update on Dec. 28).
This is the highest case total in the region since Nov. 2 (281). Cases had ranged between 100 and 154 since Nov. 16.
In Wellington County, there are 54 known active cases as of Jan. 4, up 42% from 38 on Dec. 21.
Almost two-thirds of the county cases are concentrated in Centre Wellington (33 cases).
In Dufferin County there are 52 active cases (more than doubled from 24 two weeks ago) and in Guelph there are 120 (up from 89).
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 Jan. 4, 2023.
Hospitalizations
Hospital data obtained by the Advertiser shows there are 24 COVID-19 patients hospitalized in the region as of Jan. 4 (up from 19 on Dec. 21).
There are:
- six COVID patients between the three hospitals in Wellington County;
- 15 at Guelph General Hospital (GGH); and
- three at Headwaters Health Care Centre in Orangeville.
There are no COVID patients in intensive care units – a decrease from two on Dec. 14.
Vaccinations
On Jan. 4 public health considered 27.7% 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 59.2% 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 27.5, 57.4 and 15.1% respectively.
Deaths
As of Jan. 4, the WDGPH dashboard shows a total of 192 deaths across the region have been attributed to COVID-19. That’s unchanged since Dec. 21.
Wellington County residents account for 60 of the COVID-19 deaths in the WDGPH region (also unchanged).
Facility outbreaks
As of Jan. 3, there were active COVID-19 outbreaks at the following health care facilities:
- Norfolk Manor retirement home in Guelph (facility wide), declared on Dec. 18;
- Heritage River retirement home in Elora (facility wide), declared on Dec. 16;
- Chartwell on Gorden retirement home in Guelph (facility wide), declared on Dec. 16;
- Shelburne Residence retirement home (South Hall), declared on Dec. 20;
- Avalon Care Centre in Orangeville (facility wide); declared on Dec. 29;
- Caressant Care in Fergus (retirement home), declared on Dec. 27;
- Chartwell Wellington Park retirement home in Guelph (third and fourth floors), declared on Dec. 27;
- Lord Dufferin in Orangeville (retirement home), declared on Dec. 30; and
- Village of Arbour Trails in Guelph (retirement home), declared on Dec. 15.
