The Northwestern Health Unit is changing the way it reports COVID-19 data.
The health unit will no longer report raw case numbers based on PCR testing, according to a media release. It will continue to publish waste water surveillance data.
Medical officer of health Dr. Kit Young Hoon said the change will offer more meaningful information to the public.
“Wastewater surveillance is a way to test community wastewater for the presence of the COVID-19 virus,” she said in a statement. “As fewer people get PCR tested for the virus, this data is a better indicator of COVID-19 rates and trends in our area.”
The official data on case numbers does not accurately represent the prevalence of the virus in the area, added the health unit in an email to NWOnewswatch.
The health unit said wastewater data is being used to show COVID-19 trends in many areas in Ontario, including by Public Health Ontario.
“Some public health units may continue sharing raw case data, but we feel there are much more useful indicators to show trends and risk,” the NWHU said.
With the elimination of raw case counts, there will no longer be a breakdown by health hubs.
“Our wastewater report will be a summary of the communities participating in the wastewater surveillance program and will be collated to reflect the region’s trends as a whole,” the agency said. “As the virus has changed, spread widely, and people gained immunity through vaccination and/or infection, there is less need to inform the public about community-specific case numbers/trends.”
The NWHU's online COVID-19 statistics will be updated biweekly, beginning next week.
“Wastewater, percent positivity, outbreaks, and hospitalizations will be on our website as graphs to show trends over time,” said the agency, also explaining these indicators are much more useful in showing how COVID-19.
The health unit said it will also to continue to provide information deaths and vaccine coverage rates.
The COVID-19 virus is circulating in every community and people should take precautions based on their personal risk, said the health unit.
“The best way the public can protect themselves from severe outcomes from COVID-19 is to keep up to date on their COVID-19 booster shots,” said the NWHU.
COVID-19 data for the Northwestern Health Unit's coverage area is posted on its website.
