Ottawa Public Well being is urging folks to cancel their New Yr’s Eve plans and keep house in the event that they’re sick this weekend, as respiratory viruses proceed to flow into in the neighborhood.
The weekly Respiratory Virus Snapshot exhibits “excessive ranges” of the flu, RSV and COVID-19 in Ottawa over the vacation season. The well being unit says influenza ranges have decreased within the capital since final week, whereas COVID-19 and RSV ranges stay much like final week.
“Lots of you’ll have gatherings deliberate within the coming days, together with New Yr’s Eve celebrations,” Ottawa Public Well being stated on Twitter.
“We all know you’re trying ahead to those occasions, & it may be exhausting to cancel on mates & household. However if you happen to’re sick, attending a gathering places everybody in danger.
“Please keep house if you happen to’re not feeling properly & defend these you care about. Respiratory virus signs could be extreme for some of us.”
In keeping with Ottawa Public Well being, the % positivity ranges are 11.3 per cent for influenza, 13.3 per cent for RSV and 17.7 per cent for COVID-19.
The well being unit is recommending you put on a well-fitted masks in any crowded and/or indoor public settings over the vacation season to restrict the unfold of COVID-19 and different respiratory viruses.
Respiratory visits to emergency departments
Statistics present 18 per cent of visits to Ottawa’s emergency departments in the course of the week main as much as Christmas have been linked to respiratory viruses.
Ottawa Public Well being says there have been 6,500 visits to emergency departments in Ottawa the week of Dec. 18. A complete of 1,174 visits have been on account of respiratory viruses.
The info exhibits 596 of the visits to the ER on account of a respiratory virus concerned a baby underneath the age of 12.
