Evidence of the flu’s impact on Ottawa remains evident in wastewater samples and hospitals, with some positive developments observed as well. According to the latest update from Ottawa Public Health (OPH), traces of influenza in the city’s wastewater are currently quadruple the levels recorded during the same period in 2024 and 2025, representing an improvement from the previous week when levels were twelve times higher than usual.
Furthermore, local hospitals are still experiencing a higher percentage of patients with respiratory issues compared to previous years, with approximately 17% this year versus a three-year average of around 13%. The peak reached about 24% in mid-December. In the week starting December 28, OPH reported that more than double the number of patients were hospitalized with flu compared to both COVID-19 and RSV combined.
While COVID-19 levels are relatively stable, other respiratory viruses like RSV are notably high and steady. The strain on the local healthcare system during this respiratory illness season is evident, with Queensway Carleton Hospital reporting a 16% overcapacity situation, having 29 patients in the emergency department awaiting admission due to bed shortages.
CHEO, Ottawa’s children’s hospital, has also expressed concerns about the ongoing flu season, emphasizing the importance of vaccination against the viral illness. Tragically, three children aged between five and nine succumbed to influenza-related complications in early December. OPH recommends preventive measures such as vaccination, maintaining hand hygiene, covering coughs, and mask-wearing to curb the spread of the flu.