What you need to know about COVID-19 in Ottawa on Thursday, Aug. 19 – CBC
Key updates on COVID-19 in the region
Aug 19, 2021
What’s the latest?
Medical Officer of Health Dr. Vera Etches warns the delta variant of COVID-19 is driving a resurgence of new cases in Ottawa, including 60 per cent of people who tested positive over the past month.
Etches says the risk of contracting COVID-19 is about 20 times higher among unvaccinated people than it is among vaccinated individuals.
Of the 168 Ottawa residents who tested positive for the virus between July 4 and Aug. 7, 112 were unvaccinated, 6 had received one dose but were not fully protected, 36 had received one dose, and 14 were fully vaccinated, according to Ottawa Public Health (OPH) data.
Despite the uptick in cases, Etches said hospitalizations and outbreaks remain low and OPH is working to decrease barriers to vaccination, encouraging people to continue wearing masks, maintaining physical distancing, and limiting their close contacts.
Ontario is pausing reopening plans because of the threat of the delta variant. Eighty-two per cent of Ontario residents age 12 and up have at least one vaccine dose, while about 74 per cent are fully vaccinated.
