OTTAWA -- Good morning. Here is the latest news on COVID-19 and its impact on Ottawa.
Fast Facts:
- The Ontario government is moving some additional citizens into phase one of the vaccine rollout as supply is expected to increase in the coming weeks.
- Ottawa Public Health reported 45 new cases of COVID-19 on Sunday.
- The deadly COVID-19 outbreak at Valley Stream Retirement Residence has ended.
- Some COVID-19 assessment centres and care clinics are closed or have reduced hours on Family Day.
COVID-19 by the numbers in Ottawa (Ottawa Public Health data):
- New COVID-19 cases: 45 new cases on Sunday
- Total COVID-19 cases: 13,948
- COVID-19 cases per 100,000 (previous seven days): 26.0
- Positivity rate in Ottawa: 1.6 per cent (Feb. 5 – Feb. 11)
- Reproduction Number: 0.82 (seven day average)
Testing:
Who should get a test?
Ottawa Public Health says there are five reasons to seek testing for COVID-19:
- You are showing COVID-19 symptoms. OR
- 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. OR
- You are a resident or work in a setting that has a COVID-19 outbreak, as identified and informed by Ottawa Public Health. OR
- You are eligible for testing as part of a targeted testing initiative directed by the Ministry of Health or the Ministry of Long-Term Care. OR
- You have traveled to the U.K., or have come into contact with someone who recently traveled to the U.K., please go get tested immediately (even if you have no symptoms).
Where to get tested for COVID-19 in Ottawa:
There will be reduced hours at some COVID-19 assessment centres and care clinics today.
- The Moodie Care and Testing Centre: open 8 a.m. to 3:30 p.m.
- The Heron Care and Testing Centre: open 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.
- The Brewer Assessment Centre: open 8:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m.
- The CHEO Assessment Centre and Kids Come First Care Clinic at Brewer Arena: open 8:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m.
- COVID-19 Drive-thru Assessment Centre at City Hall/NAC: open 10 a.m. to 6 p.m.
- The Ray Friel Care and Testing Centre: open 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.
The Centretown, Sandy Hill, and Somerset West Community Health Centres and the pop-up testing site at the Vanier Community Service Centre will be closed.
To book an appointment, visit: https://www.ottawapublichealth.ca/en/shared-content/assessment-centres.aspx
COVID-19 screening tool:
The COVID-19 screening tool for students heading back to in-person classes can be found here.
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
Ontario outlines new vaccine distribution priorities
Several people who were scheduled to receive COVID-19 vaccines in Ontario's second phase of distribution may be getting shots earlier than first expected as supply of vaccines is set to increase across Canada.
In a memo to local public health units and hospitals, the Ontario government outlined new vaccination priorities for phase one of its rollout.
Staff and essential caregivers in long-term care homes, high-risk retirement homes and First Nations elder care homes, along with any residents in these settings who have not yet received a first dose are considered the immediate priority.
But, after that, the province says vaccines may be made available to all adults 80 and older as well as staff, residents, and caregivers in all retirement homes and other congregate care settings for seniors, all Indigenous adults, adult recipients of chronic home care, and health-care workers in community care settings with a lower risk of exposure, including mental health and addiction services and campus health-care workers.
Pfizer has promised to deliver on its goal to ship four million doses to Canada by the end of March.
COVID-19 trends in Ottawa continue to improve ahead of reopening
Ottawa Public Health reported 45 new cases of COVID-19 in Ottawa on Sunday and no new deaths. The City has seen 13,948 total cases of COVID-19 since the pandemic began and 432 residents have died.
Ottawa's COVID-19 trends remain firmly in the "Orange-Restrict" level under Ontario's COVID-19 framework, which is where Ottawa will be placed on Tuesday when the provincial stay-at-home order lifts. Ottawa's weekly rate of new cases per 100,000 residents fell on Sunday, and the estimated reproduction number remains below 1, suggesting viral spread is slowing. The COVID-19 wastewater surveillance project is also showing a downward trend in the viral signal in recent days.
Deadly outbreak at Valley Stream ends
Ottawa Public Health is reporting an end to the deadly COVID-19 outbreak at the Valley Stream Retirement Residence.
An outbreak was first declared at the home on Jan. 2, 2021. The first four deaths from the virus were reported not long after.
The outbreak was declared over officially on Feb. 12. OPH says 54 residents became infected with COVID-19 and 13 died. There were also 29 cases among employees at the home.
Valley Stream was the first retirement home in Ottawa to receive COVID-19 vaccines. The home was deemed high-risk and a mobile vaccination team visited on Jan. 17 to deliver inoculations.
