COVID-19 in Ottawa: Fast Facts for July 15, 2021

Downtown Ottawa on Wednesday, July 14, 2021. (Sean Kilpatrick/THE CANADIAN PRESS)

OTTAWA -

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

Fast Facts:

• Ottawa Public Health reported two new COVID-19 cases Wednesday, but also removed two from its pandemic total.
• The City of Ottawa is starting to explore how COVID-19 vaccine clinics and testing centres could be ramped down post-pandemic.
• Proof of vaccine will not be required for accessing city-run facilities that reopen in Step 3.

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

• New COVID-19 cases: Two cases added Wednesday and two cases removed
• Total COVID-19 cases: 27,730
• COVID-19 cases per 100,000 (previous seven days): 2.7
• Positivity rate in Ottawa: 0.8 per cent
• Reproduction Number: 0.56 (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 require testing 72 hours before a scheduled (non-urgent or emergent) surgery (as recommended by your health care provider);
• You are a patient and/or their 1 accompanying escort tra­velling out of country for medical treatment;
• You are an international student that has passed their 14-day quarantine period;
• 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.

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

 

Net zero: Two new cases Wednesday and two removed

Ottawa Public Health added zero COVID-19 cases to its total for Ottawa for the second time in three days.

OPH added zero cases to its pandemic total on Monday for the first time in more than a year, and reported only one case on Tuesday.

Based on the changes in total cases by age, it appears two new cases were added in the last 24 hours, but two additional cases were removed from the total for a net change of zero cases.

To date, Ottawa has seen 27,730 laboratory-confirmed cases of COVID-19 since the pandemic began. No new deaths were reported Wednesday, leaving the city's death toll from COVID-19 at 592 residents.

Eight more cases are considered resolved, dropping the number of known active cases below 30. There is one person in the hospital with COVID-19 and ICUs remain free of COVID-19 patients.

 

COVID-19 Cases in Ottawa
Infogram

City of Ottawa considering closing some vaccination clinics, testing centres

As COVID-19 case counts and hospitalizations remain at record lows and the rate of vaccinations starts to slow down at some city facilities, city staff say an eventual wind down of testing and vaccination services is being considered.

General Manager of Emergency and Protective Services, Anthony Di Monte, told reporters Wednesday that Ottawa might now be over capacity when it comes to vaccine clinics and the eventual closures of some mass vaccination clinics could be coming soon.

Di Monte added that he'd rather have a few days per week that aren't very busy than close sites down and create more barriers to vaccination, but he admitted that vaccine clinics can't stay empty forever.

Di Monte also struck a similar stance when it comes to COVID-19 assessment centres, saying as demand decreases some sites may shut down and staff will return to their normal duties.

Associate Medical Officer of Health Dr. Brent Moloughney, however, stressed that testing for COVID-19 will remain a key tool for handling the pandemic, especially in the fall as schools reopen and more activities move indoors.

Some testing sites have already scaled back their hours or closed entirely in recent weeks as demand has declined.

Moloughney also said he expects there will still be a need for screening against COVID-19 as people return to workplaces, venues, and schools.

A pop-up COVID-19 vaccine clinic at the AMA Community Centre at 1216 Hunt Club Rd. in Ottawa on May 5, 2021. It is for adults 18 years of age and older who live in five areas identified by Ottawa Public Health as high-risk communities.

Proof of vaccination not required for City-run activities in Step 3

Proof of vaccination will not be required to make use of City of Ottawa recreational facilities and programs when they resume in Step 3.

General Manager of Recreation, Cultural and Facility Services Dan Chenier told reporters Wednesday that the city is ready to offer more services when Ontario moves to Step 3 of its reopening plan at 12:01 a.m. Friday.

Individual facilities will open at different times, Chenier said, as some are still being used as vaccination clinics or testing centres. Rentals and bookings for other activities opened last night. Virtual options will still be available.

Public health measures to keep COVID-19 at bay will remain in effect in city facilities, Chenier said, but for the time being, proof of vaccination will not be required.

Ottawa City Hall. (File photo)