COVID-19 in Ottawa: Fast Facts for July 7, 2021

OTTAWA -

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

Fast Facts:

• Ottawa is bucking trends that had been seen through the pandemic until now.
• Two new cases were reported Tuesday on the tenth straight day with zero deaths.
• Ontario's education minister has laid out details of what could be allowed in schools in the fall.
• Grounded by the pandemic in 2020, the Gatineau Hot Air Balloon Festival is set to return this year.

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

• New COVID-19 cases: Two new cases on Tuesday
• Total COVID-19 cases: 27,705
• COVID-19 cases per 100,000 (previous seven days): 3.7
• Positivity rate in Ottawa: 0.5 per cent (June 28-July 4)
• Reproduction Number: 0.96 (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

Ottawa bucking pandemic trends in 2021

The number of known COVID-19 cases in Ottawa is at its lowest level since the start of the first wave, bucking a particular trend that had repeated itself throughout the pandemic.

One of the common trends is that after every wave of COVID-19, the trough on the other side is a little bit higher. The number of known active COVID-19 cases has a "floor" that rises after each wave, which suggests there's a larger amount of COVID-19 in the community that doesn't go away.

But so far, the active case count continues to fall, and is well below even the lowest point following the first wave.

It's unclear if COVID-19 cases will surge again in the capital and Ottawa's medical officer of health continues to call on as many people as possible to get vaccinated as soon as possible.

A patron drinks a beverage at a patio in the Byward Market in Ottawa, as patios open in Ontario's first phase of re-opening amidst the third wave of the COVID-19 pandemic, on Saturday, June 12, 2021. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Justin Tang

Two new cases Tuesday, with zero deaths for a tenth straight day

Ottawa Public Health reported no new COVID-19 deaths in the city for a tenth straight day. Two more cases were reported Tuesday.

Ottawa has now seen 27,705 total laboratory-confirmed cases of COVID-19 since the pandemic began. The death toll from COVID-19 stands at 591 residents.

Another nine cases are considered resolved, dropping the number of known active cases further to 42, as the city continues to see the lowest number of active infections since the start of the first wave.

There are two people in Ottawa hospitals with COVID-19, up from one, but the ICU remains COVID-free. The weekly rate per 100,000 population is now below 4.

 

COVID-19 Cases in Ottawa
Infogram

What could come back when kids go back to school in the fall?

Extracurricular, sports, and clubs could make a return to Ontario schools in September, according to the education minister.

The province is working towards a goal of a more normalized back to school season after months of on-and-off shutdowns due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Education Minister Stephen Lecce said Tuesday in addition to full-time, in-class learning in September, students should be able to participate in modified activities,  provided the pandemic continues to be under control.

Ontario's Chief Medical Officer of Health issued a "call for arms" Tuesday, reminding youth 12 to 17 that there is only nine weeks to get vaccinated before school resumes.

Gatineau Hot Air Balloon Festival returning in 2021

The Gatineau Hot Air Balloon Festival is back this year after being cancelled in 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

The 34th edition of the popular event runs from Sept. 2 to 6. Some restrictions will still be in place, organizers say, including a capacity of 5,000 people for the evening shows and 800 people for the Hydro Quebec Musical Matinees. Festival-goers will be required to specify where they would like to watch the show when purchasing their tickets.

Balloon rides are also set to return. The festival is prioritizing people who had booked tickets prior to last year's cancellation, but new tickets can still be booked this year.

The Gatineau Hot Air Balloon Festival lift-off starts early in the morning in September, 2016. (David Owen/CTV Viewer)