COVID-19 surveillance in KFL&A

The COVID-19 case data dashboard is updated on Tuesdays, excluding holidays. The COVID-19 wastewater dashboard is a collaboration between KFL&A Public Health, Utilities Kingston, Loyalist Township, and Queen's University. It is updated as new data becomes available.

COVID-19 case data for KFL&A region dashboard

Having trouble viewing the dashboard? View the COVID-19 case data for KFL&A region dashboard in a new window for best results.

COVID-19 wastewater dashboard

Having trouble viewing the dashboard? View the COVID-19 wastewater dashboard in a new window for best results.

Frequently asked questions about the dashboards

How do I navigate the case dashboard?
Click on the button on the top left of the dashboard to switch between the pages of information. The graphs are interactive. Hover mouse over the bars, and lines to show the details. On the cases page, switch between date positive case received on date onset (or swabbed) by clicking on the date type buttons. Select a date range to filter the graphs. Reported data is compiled daily for confirmed COVID-19 positive cases and testing in the KFL&A Region from the provincial case and contact management (CCM) tool. Check the top right corner of the page to see the date when the data was last updated; testing data reflects data from the previous day. The case data from CCM reflects the status of cases at the same time of update. Cases are counted by health unit region, as health units are responsible for following up with patients who reside within their region. Not all patients hospitalized in the region may reside within it.
What is a high risk case?
High risk individuals are those that meet the current eligibility criteria for PCR testing; for example, frontline health care providers and residents of long-term care.
What is the vaccination status of new COVID-19 cases?
KFL&A Public Health does not release the vaccination status of high risk or hospitalized cases as this is not representative of the risk to the community. What is vaccination coverage and how is it calculated? Vaccination coverage is the per cent of the population that has received a COVID-19 vaccine. It is calculated by dividing the number of individuals in the group who have received dose one (or dose one and two, or any dose within the last six months) by the total number of individuals in that group. The total number of individuals in a group may change with time or be an approximated, so coverage rates are estimates. For the number of KFL&A residents by age, the total number of individuals in each group is from the 2021 Population Estimates from Statistics Canada. For the vaccination records, age is defined as the individual’s age at time of data analysis. In order to describe the individuals currently vaccinated in KFL&A, coverage estimates exclude individuals reported as deceased. Age-based coverage rates are calculated for those six months and over because the COVID-19 vaccines are currently only approved for those six months and over.
Why do numbers change after they are first posted?
Data is extracted from provincial databases. This data can change based on delays in reporting and data cleaning efforts.
When is an outbreak declared?
Different settings have different rules for when outbreaks are declared based on the risk factors of the populations in the setting. All cases, regardless of whether or not they meet the outbreak definition, will also appear under the main case count on the dashboard. Long-term care facilities, retirement homes, and other congregate living settings with vulnerable populations (e.g., group home, shelter) outbreak: Two or more COVID-19 cases (determined by positive molecular or rapid antigen test) in residents in a home with an epidemiological link, within a seven day period, where both cases could have reasonably acquired their infection in the congregate care setting. Acute care facility (e.g., hospital) outbreak: Two or more patients with COVID-19 (determined by positive molecular or rapid antigen test) within a specified area (e.g., unit, floor or service) and within a seven day period, where both cases could have reasonably acquired their infection in the congregate care setting.
What is COVID-19 wastewater surveillance?
COVID-19 wastewater surveillance refers to the application of wastewater epidemiology to monitor for COVID-19 infections in the community. Wastewater epidemiology is a relatively new field of research that studies the chemical and biological contents of human waste for clues about disease status and transmission, drug use, or even the overall health status for a population. It relies on the fact that all people excrete waste and that the majority of our waste is flushed away to wastewater treatment plants or septic systems. By analyzing the wastewater at the facilities, we may be able to detect information about the resident population as a whole (that may otherwise be unknown) to enable earlier or better public health action. By analyzing wastewater we can test for the presence of chemicals or biological byproducts that signal whether concentrations of potential infectious diseases, like COVID-19, or other public health concerns such as the use of illicitly-acquired drugs (like fentanyl), are increasing or decreasing. To be clear, the testing cannot identify affected individuals. Instead, it lets public health know that a concerning chemical or biological byproduct is present and to start action, such as informing the public or increasing testing (e.g., testing for COVID-19).
Why are we measuring COVID-19 in wastewater?
We are unable to precisely estimate the number of people who may have COVID-19, or who do not get tested, either because they do not have symptoms, are not eligible for testing, or choose not to. We do know that people with COVID-19 shed the virus in their stool whether they are symptomatic or not, and even before they are symptomatic. The water we flush or send down the drain ends up at our wastewater treatment plants. Measuring COVID-19 in wastewater is one method that helps us estimate if the number of cases for residents are increasing or decreasing according to trends in viral counts in our wastewater. Knowing this can allow public health to respond accordingly, such as increasing public messaging and protective policies when all measures of surveillance indicate that the risk of transmissions is higher. What are SARS-CoV-2 RNA and “normalized viral copies”? SARS-CoV-2 is the virus that causes COVID-19. The method to detect SARS-CoV-2 in wastewater measures genetic material present in the virus (RNA). RNA, or ribonucleic acid, is a class of molecules found in all cells. The concentration of SARS-CoV-2 RNA in wastewater samples depends on several factors including: human factors, such as the number of people who contribute stool to the system and how much virus is shed by each person, and physical factors, such as heavy rainfall and spring run off due to ice melting can dilute the sample and lower the measured concentration. To account for these factors, the concentration of SARS-CoV-2 RNA is reported as compared to something we know is always present in human stool: pepper mild mottle virus. This is a plant virus that occurs in most pepper species and has very stable concentrations in human stool. The “normalized viral copies” are the amount of SARS-CoV-2 RNA compared to the amount of pepper mild mottle virus in the sample, which give us a better estimate of the true concentration of COVID-19 virus in stool. How does this work in the KFL&A region? Supported by the Ministry of the Environment, Conservation and Parks (MECP), researchers at Queen’s University’s Beaty Water Research Centre (BWRC) have partnered with Utilities Kingston and Loyalist Township to measure the amount of SARS-CoV-2 RNA in wastewater samples taken directly from the main collector pipes to the treatment plants. Several days a week, a sample is collected and transported to the BWRC lab where it is prepared and analyzed for SARS-CoV-2. Those measurements are shared with the MECP and KFL&A Public Health, who use the results in their assessment of COVID-19 transmission risk for these communities, in addition to traditional surveillance measures.
When will my community’s wastewater be tested?
We are only testing wastewater samples from participating municipal treatment facilities. Sampling locations and frequency are determined by the Ministry of the Environment, Conservation and Parks in collaboration with Public Health Ontario and public health units.

How do I navigate the case dashboard?

Click on the button on the top left of the dashboard to switch between the pages of information. The graphs are interactive. Hover mouse over the bars, and lines to show the details. On the cases page, switch between date positive case received on date onset (or swabbed) by clicking on the date type buttons. Select a date range to filter the graphs.

Reported data is compiled daily for confirmed COVID-19 positive cases and testing in the KFL&A Region from the provincial case and contact management (CCM) tool.

Check the top right corner of the page to see the date when the data was last updated; testing data reflects data from the previous day. The case data from CCM reflects the status of cases at the same time of update. Cases are counted by health unit region, as health units are responsible for following up with patients who reside within their region.

Not all patients hospitalized in the region may reside within it.

What is a high risk case?

High risk individuals are those that meet the current eligibility criteria for PCR testing; for example, frontline health care providers and residents of long-term care.

What is the vaccination status of new COVID-19 cases?

KFL&A Public Health does not release the vaccination status of high risk or hospitalized cases as this is not representative of the risk to the community.

What is vaccination coverage and how is it calculated?

Vaccination coverage is the per cent of the population that has received a COVID-19 vaccine. It is calculated by dividing the number of individuals in the group who have received dose one (or dose one and two, or any dose within the last six months) by the total number of individuals in that group. The total number of individuals in a group may change with time or be an approximated, so coverage rates are estimates. For the number of KFL&A residents by age, the total number of individuals in each group is from the 2021 Population Estimates from Statistics Canada. For the vaccination records, age is defined as the individual’s age at time of data analysis. In order to describe the individuals currently vaccinated in KFL&A, coverage estimates exclude individuals reported as deceased. Age-based coverage rates are calculated for those six months and over because the COVID-19 vaccines are currently only approved for those six months and over.

Why do numbers change after they are first posted?

Data is extracted from provincial databases. This data can change based on delays in reporting and data cleaning efforts.

When is an outbreak declared?

Different settings have different rules for when outbreaks are declared based on the risk factors of the populations in the setting. All cases, regardless of whether or not they meet the outbreak definition, will also appear under the main case count on the dashboard.

Long-term care facilities, retirement homes, and other congregate living settings with vulnerable populations (e.g., group home, shelter) outbreak:

Two or more COVID-19 cases (determined by positive molecular or rapid antigen test) in residents in a home with an epidemiological link, within a seven day period, where both cases could have reasonably acquired their infection in the congregate care setting.

Acute care facility (e.g., hospital) outbreak:

Two or more patients with COVID-19 (determined by positive molecular or rapid antigen test) within a specified area (e.g., unit, floor or service) and within a seven day period, where both cases could have reasonably acquired their infection in the congregate care setting.

What is COVID-19 wastewater surveillance?

COVID-19 wastewater surveillance refers to the application of wastewater epidemiology to monitor for COVID-19 infections in the community. Wastewater epidemiology is a relatively new field of research that studies the chemical and biological contents of human waste for clues about disease status and transmission, drug use, or even the overall health status for a population. It relies on the fact that all people excrete waste and that the majority of our waste is flushed away to wastewater treatment plants or septic systems.

By analyzing the wastewater at the facilities, we may be able to detect information about the resident population as a whole (that may otherwise be unknown) to enable earlier or better public health action.

By analyzing wastewater we can test for the presence of chemicals or biological byproducts that signal whether concentrations of potential infectious diseases, like COVID-19, or other public health concerns such as the use of illicitly-acquired drugs (like fentanyl), are increasing or decreasing.

To be clear, the testing cannot identify affected individuals. Instead, it lets public health know that a concerning chemical or biological byproduct is present and to start action, such as informing the public or increasing testing (e.g., testing for COVID-19).

Why are we measuring COVID-19 in wastewater?

We are unable to precisely estimate the number of people who may have COVID-19, or who do not get tested, either because they do not have symptoms, are not eligible for testing, or choose not to. We do know that people with COVID-19 shed the virus in their stool whether they are symptomatic or not, and even before they are symptomatic. The water we flush or send down the drain ends up at our wastewater treatment plants.

Measuring COVID-19 in wastewater is one method that helps us estimate if the number of cases for residents are increasing or decreasing according to trends in viral counts in our wastewater. Knowing this can allow public health to respond accordingly, such as increasing public messaging and protective policies when all measures of surveillance indicate that the risk of transmissions is higher.

What are SARS-CoV-2 RNA and “normalized viral copies”?

SARS-CoV-2 is the virus that causes COVID-19. The method to detect SARS-CoV-2 in wastewater measures genetic material present in the virus (RNA). RNA, or ribonucleic acid, is a class of molecules found in all cells.

The concentration of SARS-CoV-2 RNA in wastewater samples depends on several factors including:

human factors, such as the number of people who contribute stool to the system and how much virus is shed by each person, and
physical factors, such as heavy rainfall and spring run off due to ice melting can dilute the sample and lower the measured concentration.

To account for these factors, the concentration of SARS-CoV-2 RNA is reported as compared to something we know is always present in human stool: pepper mild mottle virus. This is a plant virus that occurs in most pepper species and has very stable concentrations in human stool. The “normalized viral copies” are the amount of SARS-CoV-2 RNA compared to the amount of pepper mild mottle virus in the sample, which give us a better estimate of the true concentration of COVID-19 virus in stool.

How does this work in the KFL&A region?

Supported by the Ministry of the Environment, Conservation and Parks (MECP), researchers at Queen’s University’s Beaty Water Research Centre (BWRC) have partnered with Utilities Kingston and Loyalist Township to measure the amount of SARS-CoV-2 RNA in wastewater samples taken directly from the main collector pipes to the treatment plants. Several days a week, a sample is collected and transported to the BWRC lab where it is prepared and analyzed for SARS-CoV-2. Those measurements are shared with the MECP and KFL&A Public Health, who use the results in their assessment of COVID-19 transmission risk for these communities, in addition to traditional surveillance measures.

When will my community’s wastewater be tested?

We are only testing wastewater samples from participating municipal treatment facilities. Sampling locations and frequency are determined by the Ministry of the Environment, Conservation and Parks in collaboration with Public Health Ontario and public health units.