Flu continues to grip Ottawa as COVID, RSV levels settle

Recent developments:

• Ottawa's COVID-19 and RSV numbersare low to moderate.
• Some flu trends are still seen as very high.
• Three more COVID deaths have been reported.

The latest

Theweekly respiratoryupdate from Ottawa Public Health (OPH)is a familiar one.

COVID-19and RSVare seen as low or moderate.Flu wastewater readings and hospitalizations, though dropping,remain very highas this flu season stretches into spring.

Health officials recommendpeople cover coughs,wear masks, keephandsclean, stay home when sick andkeepup with COVID and flu vaccinesto help protect themselves andvulnerable people.

OPHsaysthe city's health-care institutions remainat high risk from respiratory illnesses, as they've been since the end of August. Thiswill be the case untilrespiratory trends are low again.

COVID-19 in Ottawa

Ottawa'scoronavirus wastewater averageis low and stable.

The weekly average test positivity rate in the city is 10per cent, ticking back up into moderate territory. There are again14 new COVID-related hospitalizations in the city and theactive COVID outbreak count remains atsix.

There has been onemore COVIDdeathreported in the capital.OPH's next COVID vaccination updateis expected in early April.

Across the region

Inwestern Quebec,18hospital patients have tested positive forCOVID and the region is reporting one more death.

The Kingston areahealth unitis againout ofhigh-risk respiratory territory.

The Eastern Ontario Health Unit (EOHU) stillrates its overall respiratory risk as moderate and stable.

Renfrew County's COVID trends are stable, with one more death.

Leeds, Grenville and Lanark(LGL) datagoes up to March 17, when its trends were stable or dropping.Hastings Prince Edward (HPE) Public Healthhadn't filed itsweekly COVIDupdate by publishing time.