OTTAWA -- Good morning. Here is the latest news on COVID-19 and its impact on Ottawa.
Fast Facts:
- Ottawa's top doctor suggests the city is not in a position to lift current COVID-19 restrictions
- COVID-19 cases in Ottawa back in triple digits on Wednesday
- City of Ottawa officials say expanded COVID-19 vaccine eligibility this week created challenges for vaccine rollout
- No camping, Rideau Canal locks closed for unofficial start of summer
- Ottawa's splash pads open this week despite COVID-19 restrictions
COVID-19 by the numbers in Ottawa (Ottawa Public Health data):
- New COVID-19 cases: 107 cases on Wednesday
- Total COVID-19 cases: 26,268
- COVID-19 cases per 100,000 (previous seven days): 63.2
- Positivity rate in Ottawa: 6.0 per cent (May 12 to May 18)
- 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
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
'Soon, but not just yet': Ottawa's top doctor says city not in a position to lift the current COVID-19 restrictions
Ottawa's top doctor says while there are "encouraging" signs with the capital's COVID-19 indicators, the city is not yet in a position to begin lifting public health measures in place to limit the spread of novel coronavirus.
Medical officer of health Dr. Vera Etches said Wednesday that fewer people are testing positive for COVID-19, percent positivity is down and there are fewer outbreaks.
"We are not yet in a position where we can begin to lift the public health measures currently in place," said Etches. "Soon, but not yet."
The Ontario government extended the Provincial Orders and the stay-at-home order until June 2 in a bid to limit the spread of COVID-19.
COVID-19 cases in Ottawa back in triple digits after lowest daily case count in months
Ottawa's COVID-19 cases jumped back to triple digits on Wednesday, one day after Ottawa Public Health reported the lowest daily case count in more than two months.
There were 107 new cases of COVID-19 in Ottawa on Wednesday, and one new death linked to the virus.
Since the first case on March 11, 2020, there have been 26,268 cases of COVID-19 in Ottawa, including 539 deaths.
Expanding COVID-19 vaccine eligibility to 18 plus this week created challenges for Ottawa
City of Ottawa officials admit the Ontario government's decision to expand COVID-19 vaccine eligibility to all adults 18 and older this week created "a challenge" in the vaccine rollout in Ottawa.
However, officials insists everyone who wants a COVID-19 vaccine will receive a dose.
There are currently no available appointments at Ottawa's community clinics between now and the end of June, and over 172,000 appointments are booked at the clinics over the next six weeks.
Ontario expanded the eligibility to receive the COVID-19 vaccine to all adults aged 18 and older on Tuesday.
"It didn't take long for the city's remaining vaccine appointments for May and June to be snapped up," said Anthony Di Monte, Ottawa's general manager of emergency and protective services.
"If we get additional vaccine, more appointments will be added to the system and we'll let you know."
No camping, Rideau Canal locks closed for unofficial start of summer in Ottawa and eastern Ontario
The Rideau Canal locks and campsites across Ottawa and eastern Ontario will remain closed for the May long weekend, as the stay-at-home order continues.
The May long weekend is considered the unofficial start of summer, and a popular weekend for people to go camping or put the boat in the water for the first time this season.
However, with Ontario extending the stay-at-home order until June 2, Parks Canada, Ontario Parks and other campsites in the region say they will remain closed due to the COVID-19 restrictions.
Ottawa splash pads open this week, no masks required in the water
Ottawa is turning on the taps at splash pads across the city during the stay-at-home order.
Ottawa Public Health is allowing the city to open splash pads in Ottawa despite the stay-at-home order.
"I think the assessment is that a splash pad is very similar to a playground in terms of its exemption to be open under the provincial stay-at-home order," said Dr. Vera Etches, Ottawa's medical officer of health.
While face masks are mandatory on playground equipment, Etches says children will not be expected to wear masks while using the splash pads.
Coun. Tim Tierney told CTV News Ottawa all splash pads across the city of Ottawa will be open by Friday.
