COVID-19 in Ottawa: Fast Facts for July 26, 2021
Good morning. Here is the latest news on COVID-19 and its impact on Ottawa.
Fast Facts:
- Ottawa Public Health reported one new case of COVID-19 on Sunday.
- Some experts say separate lines for vaccinated and unvaccinated travellers will make travelling easier and safer.
- There was a slight increase in Ontario-wide COVID-19 cases and the positivity rate on Sunday.
COVID-19 by the numbers in Ottawa (Ottawa Public Health data):
- New COVID-19 cases: One new case on Sunday
- Total COVID-19 cases: 27,775
- COVID-19 cases per 100,000 (previous seven days): 3.9
- Positivity rate in Ottawa: 0.5 per cent (seven day average)
- Reproduction Number: 1.21 (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
One new case of COVID-19 in Ottawa
Ottawa Public Health reported a single new COVID-19 case in the city on Sunday.
Since the pandemic began, the city has seen 27,775 laboratory-confirmed cases of COVID-19. No new deaths were reported Sunday, leaving the city's death toll from COVID-19 at 593 residents.
There were no new resolved cases reported Sunday. The active case count rose by one.
Sunday did mark a slight decline in the incidence rate of new cases per 100,000 population, which is back below 4 after climbing for the past few days.
There is one COVID-19 patient in hospital and there are zero active COVID-19 outbreaks in Ottawa.
Why experts say dividing travellers by vaccination status at airports is a good idea
Some Canadian airports have separate lines for arrivals who are vaccinated against COVID-19 and those who are not.
It's a move some health experts say will make travelling easier and safer for vaccinated people and perhaps encourage more people to get the jab.
"This will allow people to move very quickly, in and out of customs and whatnot," said Saskatoon-based intensive care unit physician Dr. Hassan Masri in 1.5517345 an interview with CTV News Channel. "But also in addition to that, I think it's good to have a way to minimize the risk of interactions with other people who are potentially higher risk of having COVID-19 or spreading it."
The separate lines only apply to travellers coming into Canada from the U.S. or overseas. Both Toronto's Pearson Airport and the Vancouver International Airport have separate lines. The rules do not currently apply to domestic travellers coming from other provinces.
Montreal's Trudeau Airport had tested lines for vaccinated and unvaccinated travellers but later said it was not achieving the desired results.
Travellers arrive at Terminal 3 at Pearson Airport in Toronto in this February 22, 2021 file photo. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Frank Gunn
Slight uptick in new cases and positivity rate in Ontario
Public Health Ontario reported a small increase in new COVID-19 cases in the province Sunday, with 172 compared to 170 on Saturday.
The seven-day rolling average held steady at 159, slightly above 153, where it was a week ago.
The positivty rate also ticked up to 1.1 per cent, health officials said. Provincial labs processed more than 13,902 test specimens Saturday.
As of Sunday, there were 127 COVID-19 patients being treated in intensive care units across Ontario, according to the Ministry of Health.
Passengers get off a GO Train as weekend service between Barrie and Toronto resumes on July 10, 2021 (Steve Mansbridge/CTV News Barrie)
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