COVID-19 in Ottawa: Fast Facts for Aug. 17, 2021

OTTAWA -

Good morning. Here is the latest news on COVID-19 and its impact on Ottawa.

Fast Facts:

• COVID-19 cases continue to rise in Ottawa, but hospitalizations and deaths remain steady.
• More than 700,000 residents of Ottawa are fully vaccinated against COVID-19.
• Ontario Premier Doug Ford is expected to announce mandatory vaccinations for some health-care workers, but the issue remains divisive.

COVID-19 by the numbers in Ottawa (Ottawa Public Health data):

• New COVID-19 cases: 20 new cases on Monday
• Total COVID-19 cases: 27,997
• COVID-19 cases per 100,000 (previous seven days): 11.0
• Positivity rate in Ottawa: 1.4 per cent (seven day average)
• Reproduction Number: 1.11 (seven day average)

Testing:

Who should get a test?

Ottawa Public Health says you can get a COVID-19 test at an assessment centre, care clinic, or community testing site if any of the following apply to you:

• You are showing COVID-19 symptoms;
• You have been exposed to a confirmed case of the virus, as informed by Ottawa Public Health or exposure notification through the COVID Alert app;
• You are a resident or work in a setting that has a COVID-19 outbreak, as identified and informed by Ottawa Public Health;
• You are a resident, a worker or a visitor to long-term care, retirement homes, homeless shelters or other congregate settings (for example: group homes, community supported living, disability-specific communities or congregate settings, short-term rehab, hospices and other shelters);
• You are a person who identifies as First Nations, Inuit or Métis;
• You are a person travelling to work in a remote First Nations, Inuit or Métis community;
• You received a preliminary positive result through rapid testing;
• You are a patient and/or their 1 accompanying escort tra­velling out of country for medical treatment;
• You are a farm worker;
• You are an educator who cannot access pharmacy-testing; or
• You are in a targeted testing group as outlined in guidance from the Chief Medical Officer of Health.

Long-term care staff, caregivers, volunteers and visitors who are fully immunized against COVID-19 are not required to present a negative COVID-19 test before entering or visiting a long-term care home.

Where to get tested for COVID-19 in Ottawa:

There are several sites for COVID-19 testing in Ottawa. To book an appointment, visit https://www.ottawapublichealth.ca/en/shared-content/assessment-centres.aspx

• The Brewer Ottawa Hospital/CHEO Assessment Centre: Open Monday to Friday 10 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. Saturday and Sunday 8:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m.
• COVID-19 Drive-Thru Assessment Centre at 300 Coventry Road: Open seven days a week from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.
• The Moodie Care and Testing Centre: Open Monday to Friday from 8 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. 
• The Ray Friel Care and Testing Centre: Open Monday to Friday from 8 a.m. to 3 p.m.
• North Grenville COVID-19 Assessment Centre (Kemptville) – 15 Campus Drive: Open Monday to Friday 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Sunday from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m.
• Centretown Community Health Centre: Open Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Friday from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m.
• Sandy Hill Community Health Centre: Open Monday to Friday from 9 a.m. to 3 pm.
• Somerset West Community Health Centre: Open from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Monday to Wednesday, 1 p.m. to 4 p.m. Thursday and 9 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. on Friday

COVID-19 screening tool:

The COVID-19 screening tool for summer camp children and staff. All campers and staff must complete the COVID-19 School and Childcare screening tool daily.

Symptoms:

Classic Symptoms: fever, new or worsening cough, shortness of breath

Other symptoms: sore throat, difficulty swallowing, new loss of taste or smell, nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, abdominal pain, pneumonia, new or unexplained runny nose or nasal congestion

Less common symptoms: unexplained fatigue, muscle aches, headache, delirium, chills, red/inflamed eyes, croup

OPH reports 20 new cases, 0 new deaths on Monday

Ottawa Public Health says another 20 people in the city have tested positive for COVID-19. No new deaths were reported Monday.

To date, Ottawa has seen 27,997 laboratory-confirmed cases of COVID-19 and 593 residents have died since the pandemic began.

This is the longest uninterrupted streak of OPH reporting no new deaths since the start of the pandemic. According to OPH data, the last COVID-19 related death in Ottawa was reported on July 8.

The number of COVID-19 patients in local hospitals is down slightly. The weekly incidence rate of new cases per 100,000 people is up slightly and the weekly testing positivity is also up.

 

COVID-19 Cases in Ottawa
Infogram

More than 700,000 Ottawa residents have two COVID-19 vaccine doses

Ottawa surpassed a couple of vaccination milestones on Monday.

According to new data from Ottawa Public Health, more than 700,000 people in the city have received both doses of a COVID-19 vaccine, accounting for 67 per cent of the total population.

To date, 702,084 residents 12 and older have had both shots. More than 9,000 people received their second doses over the weekend.

Ottawa Public Health also says more than 1.5 million doses of COVID-19 vaccines have been administered locally.

The pace of vaccination continues to slow down in the city, with just over 23,000 doses administered last week, down from 27,000 the week prior.

 

COVID-19 vaccine coverage in Ottawa
Infogram

Local health-care workers divided on mandatory vaccinations

The Ford government could soon announce mandatory COVID-19 vaccinations for health-care workers.

Sources told CTV News Toronto that the premier was to meet with his cabinet Monday night to discuss the plan.

This follows the federal government’s mandate for government employees and for passengers on air and rail travel.

The issue of mandatory vaccinations is divisive even among health-care workers, with those who spoke to CTV News Ottawa on Monday split on the issue.

FILE - A nurse prepares to give a COVID-19 vaccine to Castro Arian in Edmonton Alta, on Tuesday December 15, 2020. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Jason Franson