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

Fast Facts:

  • Ottawa Public Health reported 19 new cases of COVID-19 in Ottawa on Tuesday, the lowest figure in seven days.
  • Data show that COVID-19 has disproportionately affected Black and racialized residents in Ottawa and groups are calling for a whole of society approach to rectify barriers to health care and opportunity.
  • The Ottawa Mission says hunger in Ottawa is worsening due to COVID-19.
  • A new poll suggests many Canadians are gaining weight because they're eating more and exercising less during COVID-19 pandemic.

Testing:

Who should get a test?

Ottawa Public Health says there are four reasons to seek testing for COVID-19:

  • You are showing COVID-19 symptoms. OR
  • 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. OR
  • You are a resident or work in a setting that has a COVID-19 outbreak, as identified and informed by Ottawa Public Health. OR
  • You are eligible for testing as part of a targeted testing initiative directed by the Ministry of Health or the Ministry of Long-Term Care.

Where to get tested for COVID-19 in Ottawa:

The COVID-19 Assessment Centre at 151 Brewer Way is open seven days a week. Appointments are required in most cases but LIMITED walk-up capacity is available.

To book a test for an adult, click here.

The CHEO Assessment Centre at Brewer Arena – 151 Brewer Way is open seven days a week. Testing is available by appointment only.

To book a test for a child under the age of 18, click here.

The COVID-19 Care and Testing Centre at 595 Moodie Dr. is open from 8 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. Monday to Friday. The centre offers an appointment with a physician (including appropriate tests) for residents who are experiencing more significant symptoms like fever, difficulty breathing or a sore throat, or testing only for residents with mild symptoms or others who qualify for testing under current guidelines.

To book an appointment, click here. 

The COVID-19 Care and Testing Centre at 1485 Heron Rd. is open from 8 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. Monday to Friday. The centre offers an appointment with a physician (including appropriate tests) for residents who are experiencing more significant symptoms like fever, difficulty breathing or a sore throat, or testing only for residents with mild symptoms or others who qualify for testing under current guidelines.

To book an appointment, click here.

The COVID-19 Care and Testing Centre at the Ray Friel Recreation Complex – 1585 Tenth Line Rd. is open Monday to Friday from 8 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. It offers an appointment with a physician (including appropriate tests) for residents who are experiencing more significant symptoms like fever, difficulty breathing or a sore throat, or testing only for residents with mild symptoms or others who qualify for testing under current guidelines.

To book an appointment, click here.

The COVID-19 drive-thru assessment centre at the National Arts Centre. The centre is open seven days a week, from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m.

To book an appointment, click here.

The COVID-19 Assessment Centre at the McNabb Community Centre, located at 180 Percy Street, is open Monday to Friday, 10:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m.

To book an appointment, click here.

The Centretown Community Health Centre at 420 Cooper St. offers COVID-19 testing from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m., Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday and Friday. To book an appointment, call 613-789-1500.

The Sandy Hill Community Health Centre at 221 Nelson St. offers COVID-19 testing from 9 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. Monday to Friday.  Click here to book an appointment or call 613-789-1500

The Somerset Community Health Centre at 55 Eccles St. will offer COVID-19 testing from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m., Monday to Thursday, and 9 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. on Friday. To book an appointment, call 613-789-1500.

See here for a list of other testing sites in Ottawa and eastern Ontario.

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 swallow, 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

19 new cases of COVID-19 and one new death Tuesday

Ottawa Public Health reported 19 new cases of COVID-19 in the city and one new death on Tuesday, marking a continuing trend of low case counts compared to other large urban centres in the province.

According to the dashboard's latest update, there have been 8,231 total laboratory-confirmed cases of COVID-19 in Ottawa since the pandemic began and the city's death toll from COVID-19 is now 368 people.

In the past seven days, Nov. 18 to 24 inclusive, OPH reported an average of 37.5 new cases of COVID-19 per day. In the seven days before that, Nov. 11 to 17 inclusive, OPH reported an average of 51.6 new cases of COVID-19 per day.

 

Whole of society approach needed to combat COVID-19's impact on racialized communities

Representatives from Ottawa Public Health, ewish Family Services, the Ottawa Local Immigration Partnership, and the Somerset West Community Health Centre spoke Tuesday of the disproportionate impact of COVID-19 on racialized residents of Ottawa, particularly among the Black communities.

Data provided by Ottawa Public Health show that from February through August, 63 per cent of all positive COVID-19 tests were in people who identify as a member of a racialized group, despite representing 29 per cent of the population.

Black residents, specifically, accounted for 37 per cent of positive test results while making up just seven per cent of Ottawa's population.

White residents make up 71 per cent of Ottawa's population, according to the figures OPH shared, but account for only 33 per cent of all COVID-19 cases in the time frame that was studied.

COVID-19 in Ottawa

Ottawa Mission expanding food truck program to meet hunger needs

The Ottawa Mission says hunger in Ottawa is worsening due to COVID-19, and the shelter is expanding a food truck program to address food insecurity in our city.

“The need out there is astronomical,” says Chef Ric Allen-Watson, director of food services for the Mission. “I have been at the Ottawa Mission for 19 years and I've never seen things so bad in our world and our community. People are going hungry.” 

The program was expanded to meet the demand in communities like Overbrook. The councillor for the area, Rawlson King, says issues like hunger and poverty have only increased during the pandemic.

King says of the 107 ridings in Ontario, Ottawa-Vanier, which includes Overbrook, tops the list for food bank use.

Mission truck

Many Canadians gaining weight during COVID-19, poll suggests

A new poll suggests many Canadians are gaining weight because they're eating more and exercising less during COVID-19 pandemic.

Nearly one-third of respondents in the survey conducted by Leger and the Association for Canadian Studies said they have put on weight since March, compared to 15 per cent who said they lost weight over that time.

As well, about one-third of respondents said they're exercising less, while 16 per cent said they're working out more since the first wave of the pandemic landed in Canada in the spring.

A closeup of a beam scale

With files from The Canadian Press.