The official data published this past week on new Canadian COVID infections confirms that we remain in the expected seasonal low, but at lower levels than at any previous time in this pandemic.
Looking at our composite chart, the Canada-wide municipal wastewater COVID testing curve shows viral counts oscillating from week to week, but around their lowest level to date. Ontario’s PCR COVID testing reports a positivity rate which is coming surprisingly close to zero. Ontario COVID hospitalization rates, which tend to lag testing results by about a week, are also nearing their lowest-ever levels, with ICU bed occupancy rates following close behind.
The more independent health statisticians at COVID-19 Resources Canada have not updated their previous estimate of only one in every 401 Ontarians being infected. That too is likely to decline when they next publish.
Public Health Canada’s biweekly report on currently-circulating COVID variants shows the PQ family of Omicron variant strains to be currently dominant, accounting for 46% of all new Canadian COVID infections. The previously-dominant XFG family is down to 36%. The above-discussed testing and hospitalization rates demonstrate that neither of these families is significantly more infectious than their predecessors.