OTTAWA -- Ottawa Public Health says 54 more people in Ottawa have tested positive for COVID-19 and one more person has died

Ontario health officials reported 966 new lab-confirmed cases of COVID-19 reported across Ontario on Tuesday. The province also reported 11 new deaths and 979 newly resolved cases. The province added 64 cases in Ottawa on Tuesday. Figures from OPH often differ from the province's because the two health units retrieve their data at different times.

No new variants of concern have been confirmed in Ottawa. To date, Ottawa has seen eight confirmed cases of the B.1.1.7 variant and one confirmed case of the B.1.351 variant.

The new data from Ottawa Public Health shows a total of 14,824 lab-confirmed cases of COVID-19 in the city since the first case was confirmed nearly one year ago. Since the pandemic began, 441 residents of Ottawa have died. 

The number of people with known active cases of COVID-19 fell slightly on Tuesday, but that figure remains above 500. The number of people in hospital with COVID-19 increased Tuesday. The weekly per capita rate of new infections is also on the rise, as is the estimated reproduction number. The testing positivty rate remains below 2 per cent. Ottawa's key indicators remain within the "orange-restrict" level. 

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 (up from 35.0 on Monday and 33.8 on Sunday)
  • Positivity rate in Ottawa: 1.7 per cent (Feb. 21-27)
  • Reproduction number: 1.09 (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 1:

  • Vaccine doses administered in Ottawa (first and second shots): 50,508*
  • 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 remains above 500. There are 501 known active cases Tuesday, down from 510 on Monday.

OPH reported 62 newly resolved cases of COVID-19 on Tuesday. Since the start of the pandemic, 13,882 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 27 people in Ottawa hospitals with COVID-19 complications, up from 21 on Monday. Six people are in intensive care.

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

COVID-19 CASES IN OTTAWA BY AGE CATEGORY

  • 0-9 years old: Three new cases (1,107 total cases)
  • 10-19 years-old: 14 new cases (1,846 total cases)
  • 20-29 years-old: 11 new cases (3,209 total cases)
  • 30-39 years-old: Six new cases (2,077 total cases)
  • 40-49 years-old: Seven new cases (1,910 total cases)
  • 50-59 years-old: Three new cases (1,785 total cases)
  • 60-69-years-old: Seven new cases (1,076 total cases)
  • 70-79 years-old: Zero new cases (650 total cases)
  • 80-89 years-old: One new case (704 total cases)
  • 90+ years old: Two new cases (457 total cases)
  • Unknown: Zero new cases (3 cases total)

COVID-19 TESTING

Ontario health officials say 30,767 COVID-19 tests were completed provincewide on Monday.

The Ottawa COVID-18 Testing Taskforce said2,287 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. 

COVID-19 CASES ACROSS THE REGION

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

INSTITUTIONAL OUTBREAKS

Ottawa Public Health is reporting COVID-19 outbreaks at 29 institutions in Ottawa, including long-term care homes, retirement homes, daycares, hospitals and schools.

No new outbreaks were declared on Tuesday. Outbreaks at the Garry J. Armstrong, Montfort, and Villa Marconi long-term care homes have ended.

There are five active community outbreaks: one is linked to a health workplace, one is linked to a corporate/office setting, 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 Saint-Jean-Paul II 
  3. Lycée Claudel 
  4. Osgoode Township High School
  5. 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 Starwood
  5. Extendicare West End Villa
  6. Forest Hill
  7. Governor's Walk Retirement
  8. Group Home – 32782
  9. Madonna Care Community
  10. Manoir Marochel
  11. Manotick Place Retirement
  12. Peter D. Clark
  13. Rockcliffe Retirement Residence
  14. Sarsfield Colonial Home 
  15. Shelter - 28778
  16. Shelter - 29677
  17. Shelter - 29770
  18. Shelter - 29860
  19. Shelter - 33435
  20. Shelter - 33687 
  21. Supported Independent Living – 32891
  22. The Ottawa Hospital - Civic Campus - A2
  23. The Ottawa Hospital - Civic Campus - A4 (Medicine)/A5/B5/Ama
  24. 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.