COVID-19 Assessment Centre at Brewer to stay open as Ottawa sees spike in COVID cases

The COVID-19 assessment centre at Brewer Arena

The COVID-19 Assessment Centre for Adults near Brewer Arena will remain open indefinitely, as the city of Ottawa sees a rise in COVID-19 cases.

The assessment centre across from Carleton University was initially scheduled to close on Wednesday, with the assessment centre and Do-It-Yourself Test kit pick-up and drop off moving to the Ottawa Hospital Clinical Assessment Centre at 1081 Carling Avenue.

However, as the city of Ottawa sees a rise in COVID-19 cases and the positivity rate sits at 19 per cent, the centre will stay open indefinitely.

"Following a review of testing demand and growing COVID-19 levels in the Ottawa community, Brewer will remain open indefinitely and Do-It-Yourself Test Kit pick-up and drop-off will continue Sunday through Friday from 8:30 am to 3:30 pm.," the Ottawa COVID-19 Testing Taskforce said in a statement.

The centre is located at the Brewer Academy parking lot at 200 Brewer Way, adjacent to the arena.

The Moodie COVID-19 Care and Testing Centre on Moodie Drive closed on Friday. It will reopen later this summer on Draper Avenue.

Ottawa Public Health will release the latest COVID-19 statistics on Tuesday.

Last week, the health unit said it was seeing a rise in COVID-19 hospitalizations, the wastewater signal and outbreaks.

"We know what can help minimize its impact: get boosted, wear a mask, limit your contacts & stay home when sick," the health unit said.

There are currently 52 outbreaks in Ottawa's long-term care homes, retirement homes, hospitals and congregate settings.

There are 12 cases linked to an outbreak at Centre D'Accueil Champlain, 21 cases in an outbreak at the Queensway Carleton Hospital and nine cases linked to a group home. Ottawa Public Health says 25 residents and five staff members tested positive for COVID-19 at Richmond Lodge retirement home.