OTTAWA -- Good morning. Here is the latest news on COVID-19 and its impact on Ottawa.
Fast Facts:
- Students in Renfrew County, Leeds, Grenville and Lanark County and the Kingston region return to class today for in-person learning for the first time since the Christmas break
- Ottawa Public Health reported 76 new cases of COVID-19 in Ottawa on Sunday, while the cases per 100,000 continued to fall
- Ottawa's 311 centre received thousands of calls relating to COVID-19 rules in 2020
COVID-19 by the numbers in Ottawa (Ottawa Public Health data):
- New COVID-19 cases: 76 new cases on Sunday
- Total COVID-19 cases: 12,929
- COVID-19 cases per 100,000 (previous seven days): 61.2
- Positivity rate in Ottawa: 3.2 per cent (Jan. 15 - Jan. 21)
- Reproduction Number: 0.91 (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 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 Thursday from 8:30 a.m. to 7:30 p.m. and Friday to Sunday from 8:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m.
COVID-19 Drive-thru assessment centre at National Arts Centre: Open seven days a week from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m.
The Moodie Care and Testing Centre: Open Monday to Friday from 8 a.m. to 3:30 p.m.
The Heron Care and Testing Centre: Open Monday to Friday from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m.
The Ray Friel Care and Testing Centre: Open Monday to Friday from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m.
The COVID-19 Assessment Centre at McNabb Community Centre: Open Monday to Friday from 10:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m.
Symptoms:
Classic Symptoms: fever, new or worsening cough, shortness of breath
Other symptoms: sore throat, difficulty swallow, 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
What you need to know about elementary and secondary school classes this week in Ottawa and eastern Ontario
Students in Renfrew County, the Leeds, Grenville and Lanark Public Health region and the Kingston-area return to class today for the first time since Christmas.
Meantime, elementary and secondary school students in Ottawa and the Eastern Ontario Health Unit region will continue virtual learning for a fourth week.
The Ontario government is allowing schools in seven public health units to reopen for in-person learning on Monday. The health units allowed to open school include:
- Kingston, Frontenac and Lennox and Addington Health Unit
- Leeds, Grenville and Lanark District Health Unit
- Renfrew County and District Health Unit
Ontario announced schools in Ottawa and the Eastern Ontario Health Unit region will remain closed until further notice.
Ottawa sees signs of improvement in effort to get COVID-19 under control
Ottawa Public Health reported 76 new cases of COVID-19 in Ottawa on Sunday, while the key indicators for COVID-19 transmission in the community continued to show improvement.
Ottawa's COVID-19 cases per 100,000 fell to 61.2 on Sunday. On Jan. 14, the first day of the stay-at-home order, Ottawa was at 98 cases per 100,000 people.
Since the first case of COVID-19 in Ottawa on March 11, there have been 12,929 laboratory-confirmed cases of COVID-19, including 419 deaths.
Ottawa's 311 centre receives thousands of calls relating to COVID-19 in 2020
Bylaw Services received thousands of calls from Ottawa residents about COVID-19 enforcement and mask violations last year.
According to data on the City of Ottawa's open data website, the city's 311 call centre received 13,391 calls in 2020 for COVID-19 related issues, including people not wearing masks and questions and inquiries about enforcement of the provincial restrictions.
A total 11,173 calls to 311 were directed to Ottawa Bylaw for "provincial enforcement" of COVID-19 measures.
An additional 2,219 calls to Ottawa's 311 centre were in regards to Ottawa's Temporary Mandatory Mask Bylaw.
