WELLINGTON COUNTY – It was another weekend of good news on the COVID-19 front, as the case count continues to decrease across the county.
After reporting 435 active cases on May 10, Wellington-Dufferin-Guelph Public Health (WDGPH) is reporting 296 active cases as of May 17, with 87 of those newly reported over the weekend (May 14 to 16).
The region’s case rate per 100,000 population has also dropped, from 96.8 at the beginning of the month to 68.6 as of May 15.
As of May 7, 7.3 percent of COVID-19 tests are returning positive for the virus — up from 5.8 per cent a day earlier.
The number of people hospitalized has decreased since last week’s update, from 34 to 29 as of May 13, with 11 of those in intensive care at either Guelph General Hospital or Headwaters Health Care in Orangeville (Wellington County hospitals do not have ICUs).
Variants
As of May 11, WDGPH reports 81.7 per cent of all COVID-19 cases confirmed the region (seven-day moving average) are variants of concern.
To date there have been 1,818 confirmed cases of the B117 (UK) variant, 23 cases of the P1 (Brazilian) variant and none of the B1351 (South African) variant.
An additional 189 individuals have screened positive for a variant of concern not yet identified.
Local trends
Wellington County had 18 new cases over the weekend, bringing the total active cases to 58, down from 88 a week ago.
Public health is also reporting the county’s 37th COVID-related death. WDGPH spokesperson Danny Williamson confirmed a man in his 80s died with the virus on May 12.
Dufferin County had 31 new cases over the weekend and now has 97 active vases, down from 139 a week prior.
Guelph had 36 new cases over the weekend and now has 136 active cases, less than half its total of 318 from three weeks ago.
Active case counts by municipality are included in the table below.
Municipality-specific active COVID-19 case counts as of May 17, 2021. (WDGPH image)
Vaccines/outbreaks
As of May 17, 128,379 residents in the WDGPH region have received at least one vaccine dose, pushing the region’s vaccination rate, for those aged 16 or older, past the 50 per cent threshold.
Public health is aiming to have 75% of the region’s eligible population at least partially vaccinated by June.
A total of 134,697 doses have been administered in the region as of May 17.
On May 4, an outbreak of COVID-19 was declared at Guelph General Hospital on the east units of floors four and seven, according to a May 5 press release.
Eight patients and two staff members have tested positive between the two outbreaks and a Guelph man in his 60s who was a patient on the four east unit died from the virus, WGDPH previously confirmed to the Advertiser.
All patients in both units have been tested, Guelph General Hospital spokesperson, Perry Hagerman, previously confirmed.
There are currently eight workplace outbreaks in the WDGPH region and two outbreaks at child care facilities:
- Eh to Zed PreSchool in Guelph, seven student cases and five staff cases, declared on May 3; and
- Eureka Kids in Erin, one student case and two staff cases, declared on May 14.
