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

Fast Facts:

  • AstraZeneca-Oxford COVID-19 vaccine developer blasts Canada's approach to vaccine rollout 
  • Ottawa Public Health reported 95 new cases of COVID-19 on Saturday
  • Scarborough man reunited with family after three weeks at Queensway Carleton Hospital

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

  • New COVID-19 cases: 95 cases on Saturday
  • Total COVID-19 cases: 25,943
  • COVID-19 cases per 100,000 (previous seven days): 67.9
  • Positivity rate in Ottawa: 6.5 per cent (May 7 to May 13)
  • Reproduction Number: 0.94 (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 6 p.m. Saturday and Sunday 8 a.m. to 4 p.m.
  • COVID-19 Drive-Thru Assessment Centre at 300 Coventry Road: 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. Open Saturday and Sunday, 8 a.m. to 11:30 a.m. (testing only)
  • 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.  Saturday 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. (testing only)
  • Southwest Ottawa COVID-19 Assessment Centre at Richmond Memorial Community Centre: Open Sunday, Monday and Thursday from 8 a.m. to 12 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

Vaccine eligibility screening tool:

To check and see if you are eligible to receive a COVID-19 vaccine in Ottawa, click here. 

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

AstraZeneca-Oxford developer blasts Canada's approach to vaccine, says 'messing around is going to cost lives'

The researcher who oversaw the development of the AstraZeneca COVID-19 vaccine suggests provinces decisions to suspend the first dose and question whether a second shot will be green-lighted is flawed, and may lead to serious consequences.

Oxford University regius professor of medicine Sir John Bell told CTV News’ Question Period, Canada’s approach to AstraZeneca use specifically is reflective of the country’s overall vaccine strategy, "acting on a lot of hearsay not facts."

"At my last look you guys are 3.6 per cent vaccinated with two doses, so just wait for (the Indian variant) to rip through the Canadian population, and then the problems you've had with these very rare clotting events will look pretty insignificant," said Bell.

Ontario, Quebec, Alberta, Saskatchewan, Nova Scotia and Manitoba have all announced new restrictions on the use of the AstraZeneca vaccine. The reasoning includes caution over rare blood clotting incidents and a shortage of supply.

AstraZeneca vial

COVID-19 hospitalizations in Ottawa fall as OPH reports 95 new cases

Ottawa Public Health reported 95 new cases of COVID-19 in Ottawa on Saturday, and one more death linked the virus.

Since the first case in March 2020, there have been 25,943 laboratory-confirmed cases of COVID-19, including 535 deaths.

The number of Ottawans in hospital with COVID-related complications has fallen below 70 for the first time since early April, though more than 20 people remain in intensive care. 

 

Scarborough man reunited with family after three weeks at Queensway Carleton Hospital

The family of a Scarborough man being treated for COVID-19 at the Queensway Carleton Hospital drove to Ottawa for a surprise visit.

Vince Hsu was transferred to the Queensway Carleton Hospital for care last month, one of the dozens of patients transferred from Toronto-area hospitals to Ottawa for treatment during the third wave of the COVID-19 pandemic.

On Saturday, the hospital released a video on Twitter of Hsu seeing his wife Kate and their daughters, Payton and Emily, outside of the hospital. The family drove from Scarborough to Ottawa for the surprise visit.