OTTAWA -- Ottawa Public Health says 46 more people in the city have tested positive for COVID-19.

The new figure brings Ottawa's pandemic total to 14,870 cases since March 11, 2020, when the cit's first case was officially confirmed.

No new deaths were reported in Ottawa on Wednesday. To date, 441 people in the city have died of COVID-19.

There were 958 newly confirmed cases of COVID-19 reported provincewide. Ontario also reported 17 new deaths and 1,090 newly resolved cases on Wednesday. The province reported 57 new cases in Ottawa. Figures from OPH often differ from the province's because the two agencies pull data for their daily reports at diffe

More than 7,000 Ontarians have died from COVID-19.

No new variants of concern were confirmed in Ottawa, according to the province.

Wednesday's update from Ottawa Public Health brings the number of known active cases back down below 500 after three days above that number. The number of people in Ottawa hospitals with COVID-19 has gone up for a third day in a row. Ottawa remains within the "orange-restrict" level under Ontario's COVID-19 framework. 

OTTAWA'S COVID-19 KEY STATISTICS

Ottawa is in "Orange-Restrict" status under Ontario's COVID-19 framework.

Ottawa Public Health data:

  • COVID-19 cases per 100,000 (previous seven days): 37.0 
  • Positivity rate in Ottawa: 2.1 per cent (Feb. 24-March 2) 
  • Reproduction number: 1.00 (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.

The Orange-Restrict category of Ontario's COVID-19 framework includes a weekly rate of cases per 100,000 between 25 to 39.9, a percent positivity of 1.3 to 2.4 per cent, and a reproduction number of approximately 1 to 1.1. 

VACCINES IN OTTAWA

As of March 3:

  • Vaccine doses administered in Ottawa (first and second shots): 51,404*
  • COVID-19 doses received (Pfizer-BioNTech and Moderna): 61,820

*OPH says staff were able to extract additional doses out of several vials, which were given to residents. In a statement on its dashboard, OPH said, "Vaccine inventory is based on an expected 5 dose per vial supply. Occasionally, an additional dose (6th dose) is successfully extracted and administered to clients."

Appointments for vaccines for residents 80 and older, or adult recipients of chronic home care, opened in Ottawa Monday for select neighbourhoods. Click here to learn more.

ACTIVE CASES OF COVID-19 IN OTTAWA

The number of people with known active cases of COVID-19 is back below 500, dropping to 497 on Wednesday from 501 on Tuesday and 510 on Monday.

OPH reported 50 newly resolved cases of COVID-19 on Tuesday. Since the start of the pandemic, 13,932 people have had their cases of COVID-19 resolve non-fatally.

The number of active cases is the number of total 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

There are currently 30 people in Ottawa hospitals with COVID-19 complications, up from 27 on on Tuesday and 21 on Monday. Six people are in intensive care.

Of the people in hospital, three are in their 40s (one is in the ICU), three are in their 50s, six are in their 60s (one is in the ICU), three are in their 70s, 10 are in their 80s (four are in the ICU), and five are 90 or older.

COVID-19 TESTING

Ontario health officials say 52,613 COVID-19 tests were completed provincewide on Tuesday.

The Ottawa COVID-18 Testing Taskforce said on Tuesday that 2,287 swabs were taken at local assessment centres on Monday and labs performed 2,718 tests.

The average turnaround from the time the swab is taken at a testing site to the result is 22 hours, down from 28. 

The positivty rate for the week of Feb. 21 to 27 is 1.7 per cent. 

The next update from the taskforce is due at around 3:30 p.m.

COVID-19 CASES IN OTTAWA BY AGE CATEGORY

  • 0-9 years old: Five new cases (1,112 total cases)
  • 10-19 years-old: Seven new cases (1,846 total cases)
  • 20-29 years-old: 13 new cases (3,222 total cases)
  • 30-39 years-old: Three new cases (2,080 total cases)
  • 40-49 years-old: Six new cases (1,916 total cases)
  • 50-59 years-old: Five new cases (1,790 total cases)
  • 60-69-years-old: Four new cases (1,080 total cases)
  • 70-79 years-old: One new case (651 total cases)
  • 80-89 years-old: One new case (705 total cases)
  • 90+ years old: One new case (458 total cases)
  • Unknown: Zero new cases (3 cases total)

COVID-19 CASES ACROSS THE REGION

  • Eastern Ontario Health Unit: 13 new cases
  • Kingston, Frontenac, Lennox and Addington Public Health: Five new cases
  • Leeds, Grenville & Lanark District Health Unit: Eight new cases
  • Renfrew County and District Health Unit: Five new cases
  • CISSS de l'Outaouais (Gatineau and western Quebec): 16 new cases

INSTITUTIONAL OUTBREAKS

Ottawa Public Health is reporting COVID-19 outbreaks at 28 institutions in Ottawa, including long-term care homes, retirement homes, daycares, hospitals and schools.

Outbreaks at the Extendicare Starwood and Peter D. Clark long-term care homes have ended. One new outbreak was declared at La Vérendrye French catholic elementary school.

There are four active community outbreaks: one is linked to a health workplace, one is linked to a construction workplace, one is linked to a community organization and one at a multi-unit dwelling.

The schools and childcare spaces currently experiencing outbreaks are:

  1. Centrepointe Home Daycare
  2. École élémentaire catholique La Vérendrye (NEW)
  3. École élémentaire catholique Saint-Jean-Paul II 
  4. Lycée Claudel 
  5. Osgoode Township High School
  6. Service a l'enfance Grandir Ensemble - 33477

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

  1. Centre D'Acceuil Champlain
  2. Extendicare Laurier Manor
  3. Extendicare New Orchard Lodge 
  4. Extendicare West End Villa
  5. Forest Hill
  6. Governor's Walk Retirement
  7. Group Home – 32782
  8. Madonna Care Community
  9. Manoir Marochel
  10. Manotick Place Retirement
  11. Rockcliffe Retirement Residence
  12. Sarsfield Colonial Home 
  13. Shelter - 28778
  14. Shelter - 29677
  15. Shelter - 29770
  16. Shelter - 29860
  17. Shelter - 33435
  18. Shelter - 33687 
  19. Supported Independent Living – 32891
  20. The Ottawa Hospital - Civic Campus - A2
  21. The Ottawa Hospital - Civic Campus - A4 (Medicine)/A5/B5/Ama
  22. The Ottawa Hospital - General Campus - Single Unit 7Ncc/Ccu

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).

Two staff or patient cases of laboratory-confirmed COVID-19 within a specified hospital unit within a 14-day period where both cases could have reasonably acquired their infection in hospital is considered an outbreak in a public hospital.