OTTAWA -- Ottawa Public Health is reporting 21 new cases of COVID-19 in Ottawa on Tuesday, the lowest number of new cases in seven weeks.

The last time cases were lower than that was Sept. 20, when 15 new cases were reported.

However, the number of people in local hospitals with COVID-19 has increased and is approaching a peak not seen since the spring.

This news comes on the same day that the province set a new record for the most new cases in a single day.

According to Ottawa Public Health's COVID-19 dashboard, there have been 7,607 total laboratory-confirmed cases of COVID-19 in Ottawa since the pandemic began.

In the past seven days, Nov. 4 to 10 inclusive, OPH has reported an average of 54.5 new cases per day. In the seven days before that, Oct. 28 to Nov. 3 inclusive, OPH reported an average of 75.8 cases per day.

One new death was reported in Ottawa on Tuesday, bringing the city's death toll from COVID-19 to 347 residents.

HOSPITALIZATIONS IN OTTAWA

The number of people in hospitals with COVID-19 complications jumped to 60 in Tuesday's report from 55 on Monday. This is a level not seen since the end of April at the peak of the first wave. There were 62 people in hospital on April 29.

The number of people in the ICU also increased to seven from five on Monday.

Of the people in hospital, one is 10-19 years old, three are in their 30s (two in the ICU), three are in their 40s, three are in their 50s, 10 are in their 60s (one in the ICU), 13 are in their 70s (two in the ICU), 17 are in their 80s (two in the ICU), and 10 are 90 or older.

TESTING

The Ottawa COVID-19 Testing Taskforce says 1,683 swabs were taken on Monday and local labs performed 1,661 tests.

The average turnaround time for a high priority test on Nov. 9 was 15 hours.

The positivity rate in Ottawa for the week of Oct. 28 to Nov. 3 was 3 per cent.

Across Ontario, 29,125 COVID-19 tests were completed on Monday. 

ACTIVE CASES OF COVID-19 IN OTTAWA

The number of known active cases of COVID-19 in Ottawa fell on Tuesday, driven by a large increase in resolved cases.

OPH reported that 63 more people in Ottawa with COVID-19 have recovered, bringing the city's total number of resolved cases to 6,723.

That brings the number of active cases down to 537, from 580 on Monday.

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.

 

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: One new case (489 cases total)
  • 10-19 years-old: One new case (860 cases total)
  • 20-29 years-old: Five new cases (1,567 cases total)
  • 30-39 years-old: Two new cases (1,005 cases total)
  • 40-49 years-old: Three new cases (969 cases total)
  • 50-59 years-old: Three new cases (891 cases total)
  • 60-69-years-old: Two new cases (598 cases total)
  • 70-79 years-old: Zero new cases (394 cases total)
  • 80-89 years-old: Three new cases (495 cases total)
  • 90+ years old: Zero new cases (338 cases total)

The age of one person with COVID-19 is unknown.

COVID-19 CASES AROUND THE REGION

The Eastern Ontario Health Unit reported eight new cases of COVID-19 on Tuesday. 

Kingston, Frontenac, Lennox & Addington Public Health added one new case. 

One new cases of COVID-19 was also added to the Leeds, Grenville & Lanark District Health Unit's total count.

No new cases were reported by the Renfrew County and District Health Unit or Hastings Prince Edward Public Health on Tuesday.

Eighteen new cases were reported in the Outaouais region of Quebec, which includes Gatineau.

INSTITUTIONAL OUTBREAKS

Ottawa Public Health is reporting COVID-19 outbreaks at 39 institutions in Ottawa, including long-term care homes, retirement homes, daycares, hospitals and schools.

Outbreaks at the Edinburgh Retirement Home, the Heritage Retirement and Laurier Manor have ended. New outbreaks were declared at the Esther By Childcare Centre and a local rooming house.

There are four active community outbreaks at four unidentified workplaces.

The schools and childcare spaces currently experiencing outbreaks are:

  1. Cornerstone Children's Centre - Heatherington Nursery School
  2. École élémentaire catholique Des Pionniers
  3. École secondaire publique Louis Riel
  4. École secondaire publique Omer-Deslauriers
  5. Esther By Childcare Centre (NEW)
  6. Ottawa Islamic School
  7. St. Mother Teresa High School
  8. St. Mother Teresa High School (2)* 
  9. St. Bernadette "Petit pas a trois"

*NOTE: There are two ongoing but unrelated COVID-19 outbreaks declared at St. Mother Teresa High School.

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

  1. Alta Vista Manor
  2. Beacon Heights retirement home
  3. Bridlewood Retirement home
  4. Bridlewood Trails Retirement Home
  5. Extendicare New Orchard Lodge
  6. Garden Terrace
  7. Glebe Centre
  8. Hope Living – Ottawa
  9. Hôpital Montfort 4C Med
  10. Innovative Community Support Services (Barnwell)
  11. Longfields Manor
  12. Lord Lansdowne retirement home
  13. Maison acceuil-sagesse 
  14. Medex
  15. Park Place
  16. Riverpath Retirement
  17. Robertson House
  18. Rockcliffe Retirement
  19. Rooming House (2) [NEW]
  20. Sisters of Charity retirement home
  21. Sophia House
  22. St. Patrick's Home
  23. St. Vincent Hospital (3 South)
  24. Starwood
  25. Stirling Park Retirement Home
  26. The Ottawa Hospital General Campus 5N
  27. The Ottawa Hospital General Campus 6W
  28. The Ravines
  29. Valley Stream Retirement Home
  30. West End Villa

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).