OTTAWA -- Ottawa Public Health says 179 more people in Ottawa have tested positive for COVID-19 following a one-day drop in new cases.

On Tuesday, Ottawa Public Health reported 63 new cases, the lowest figure of daily cases so far this month.

Reporting from OPH and the province often differs due to different data collection times. Ontario reported 159 new cases in Ottawa today.

Across the province, Ontario health officials reported 2,961 new cases of COVID-19 and 74 new deaths.

According to Ottawa Public Health's COVID-19 dashboard, there have been 11,747 total laboratory-confirmed cases of COVID-19 in Ottawa since the pandemic began.

No new deaths were reported Wednesday, leaving the city's pandemic death toll at 398 residents.

The weekly per capita rate of new infections is on the rise, as is the number of active cases. ICU admissions have also increased. OPH reported a slight drop in the weekly positivity rate and the weekly estimated reproduction number. 

OTTAWA'S COVID-19 KEY STATISTICS

A province-wide lockdown went into effect on Dec. 26, 2020. Ottawa Public Health moved Ottawa into its red zone last week.

Ottawa Public Health data:

  • COVID-19 cases per 100,000 (previous seven days): 97.8 cases
  • Positivity rate in Ottawa: 4.5 per cent (Jan. 6 - Jan. 12)
  • Reproduction number: 1.03 (seven day average) 

Reproduction values greater than 1 indicate the virus is spreading and each case infects more than one contact. If it is less than 1, it means spread is slowing.

VACCINES

Ontario health officials say 11,231 doses of COVID-19 vaccines were administered across the province on Tuesday and 144,784 doses have been administered in total. The province says 8,778 people have received both shots and have completed their vaccination.

Ontario had received 196,025 doses of COVID-19 vaccines as of Jan. 7, according to Health Canada.

The Ottawa Hospital said Tuesday that 16,575 doses of COVID-19 vaccine had been administered locally.

A new shipment of 5,850 doses of COVID-19 vaccine arrived at the Ottawa Hospital on Wednesday. 

"Some of these doses will be given to Ottawa Public Health, to continue vaccinating residents in long-term care homes. The remainder will be used to provide second doses to those who need them," the Ottawa Hospital said in a statement.

ACTIVE CASES OF COVID-19 IN OTTAWA

The number of people in Ottawa with known active cases of COVID-19 has risen to 1,217, marking a new record high for the city.

It had fallen to 1,154 yesterday on a low case count and a high number of new resolved cases.

OPH reported 119 new resolved cases in Ottawa today, bringing the city's total to 10,132.

The number of active cases is the number of total laboratory-confirmed cases of COVID-19 minus the numbers of resolved cases and deaths. A case is considered resolved 14 days after known symptom onset or positive test result.

 

HOSPITALIZATIONS IN OTTAWA

The number of people in Ottawa hospitals with COVID-19 complications held steady on Wednesday, but four more people were admitted to the intensive care unit.

There are now 33 people in hospital and 15 in the ICU with COVID-19.

Of the people in hospital, one is 10-19 years old (this person is in the ICU), one is in their 20s, one is in their 30s (this person is in the ICU), five are in their 50s (two are in the ICU), eight are in their 60s (four are in the ICU), 12 are in their 70s (seven are in the ICU), three are in their 80s, and two are 90 or older.

Ottawa Public Health says 79 per cent of the city's ICU beds were occupied as of Jan. 11.

TESTING

Ontario health officials says 50,931 COVID-19 tests were completed across the province on Tuesday and 61,259 tests remain under investigation.

The Ottawa COVID-19 Testing Taskforce says 1,774 swabs were taken at local assessment centres on Tuesday and labs performed 4,543 tests. There are 3,373 tests still in progress as of Jan. 13.

The positivity rate for the week of Jan. 6 to 12 was 4.5 per cent.

The average turnaround from the time the swab is taken at a testing site to the result is 31 hours.

CASES OF COVID-19 IN OTTAWA BY AGE CATEGORY

Here is a breakdown of all known COVID-19 cases in Ottawa by age category:

  • 0-9 years old: 15 new cases (815 total cases)
  • 10-19 years-old: 25 new cases (1,443 total cases)
  • 20-29 years-old: 46 new cases (2,480 total cases)
  • 30-39 years-old: 21 new cases (1,584 total cases)
  • 40-49 years-old: 23 new cases (1,515 total cases)
  • 50-59 years-old: 20 new cases (1,396 total cases)
  • 60-69-years-old: 11 new cases (879 total cases)
  • 70-79 years-old: 4 new cases (553 total cases)
  • 80-89 years-old: 11 new cases (616 total cases)
  • 90+ years old: 6 new cases (417 total cases)
  • Unknown: 3 cases reassigned (5 cases total)

CASES OF COVID-19 AROUND THE REGION

  • Eastern Ontario Health Unit: 12 new cases
  • Hastings Prince Edward Public Health: 2 new cases
  • Kingston, Frontenac, Lennox & Addington Public Health: 2 new cases
  • Leeds, Grenville & Lanark District Health Unit: 5 new cases
  • Renfrew County and District Health Unit: 0 new cases
  • Outaouais region: 37 new cases

INSTITUTIONAL OUTBREAKS

Ottawa Public Health is reporting COVID-19 outbreaks at 32 institutions in Ottawa, including long-term care homes, retirement homes, daycares, hospitals and schools.

A new outbreak was declared Wednesday at the Villa Marconi long-term care home. An outbreak at West End Villa has ended.

There are seven active community outbreaks.

Two involve health workplaces, one is in a multi-unit dwelling, one is linked to sports and recreation, one is at an office, one is at a distribution centre, and one is at a retail workplace. 

The schools and childcare spaces currently experiencing outbreaks are:

  1. Andrew Fleck Children's Services

The long-term care homes, retirement homes, hospitals, and other spaces currently experiencing outbreaks are:

  1. Alta Vista Manor
  2. Besserer Place
  3. Carleton Lodge
  4. Carlingview Manor
  5. Centre D'Accueil Champlain
  6. Chartwell Duke of Devonshire Retirement Home
  7. Colonel By Retirement Home
  8. Extendicare Laurier Manor
  9. Extendicare Medex
  10. Extendicare New Orchard Lodge
  11. Extendicare Starwood
  12. Forest Hill
  13. Garry J. Armstrong long-term care home
  14. Grace Manor Long-term Care Home
  15. Granite Ridge long-term care home
  16. Group Home - 28608
  17. Group Home - 28740 
  18. Hillel Lodge
  19. Manoir Marochel
  20. Maplewood Retirement Community
  21. Portobello Retirement Residence
  22. Redwoods Retirement Residence
  23. Royal Ottawa Place
  24. Shelter - 27549
  25. Shelter - 28365
  26. Sisters of Charity Couvent Mont Saint-Joseph
  27. Sisters of Charity Maison Mère
  28. St. Patrick's Home
  29. Supported Independent Living - 28110
  30. Valley Stream Retirement Residence
  31. Villa Marconi (NEW)

A single laboratory-confirmed case of COVID-19 in a resident or staff member of a long-term care home, retirement home or shelter triggers an outbreak response, according to Ottawa Public Health. In childcare settings, a single confirmed, symptomatic case in a staff member, home daycare provider, or child triggers an outbreak.

Under provincial guidelines, a COVID-19 outbreak in a school is defined as two or more lab-confirmed COVID-19 cases in students and/or staff in a school with an epidemiological link, within a 14-day period, where at least one case could have reasonably acquired their infection in the school (including transportation and before or after school care).