OTTAWA -- Good morning. Here is the latest news on COVID-19 and its impact on Ottawa and the surrounding region.
Fast Facts:
- Ottawa Public Health reported 65 new cases of COVID-19 on Monday, a drop from the weekend high of 132.
- A single case of COVID-19 at an indoor sports practice in October led to at least 60 confirmed cases and several outbreaks.
- The city's Transportation Committee approved a plan to help keep restaurant patios going in the winter.
- Ontario Premier Doug Ford says a decision on when the modified Stage 2 lockdowns might end is coming "very soon."
- Police in Val-des-Monts, Quebec broke up a large party one week after busting a major rager in Chelsea.
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 a test
The COVID-19 assessment centre at Brewer Arena, 151 Brewer Way, is open seven days a week from 8:30 a.m. to 7:30 p.m. 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 from 8:30 a.m. to 7:30 p.m. Testing is available by appointment only.
To book a test for a child under the age of 18, click here.
For those requiring extra support for accessibility reasons, please contact CHEO’s Patient Experience team at 613-737-7600 x6720.
The COVID-19 care clinic at 595 Moodie Dr. is open Monday to Friday from 8 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. for people with escalating symptoms and in need of medical attention.
To book an appointment, click here.
If you need to book an appointment but do not have access to the internet, please call 613-721-4722
The COVID-19 care clinic at 1485 Heron Rd. is open Monday to Friday from 8 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. for people with escalating symptoms and in need of medical attention.
To book an appointment, click here.
If you need to book an appointment but do not have access to the internet, please call 613-288-5353.
The COVID-19 drive-thru assessment centre at 300 Coventry Rd. is open from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. seven days a week.
To book an appointment, click here.
The COVID-19 care clinic at the Ray Friel Recreation Centre, 1585 Tenth Line Rd. is open Monday to Friday from 8 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. There are two options for visitors, either a test only, or an assessment by a doctor and a test For people who need to see a doctor because of pressure or discomfort in the chest, difficulty breathing or a sore throat..
To book an appointment, click here.
If you need to book an appointment but do not have access to the internet, please call 613-288-5353.
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. https://secureforms.ottawapublichealth.ca/School-Health-Sante-scolaire/COVID-19-Screening-Tool-for-Students
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
Drop in day-to-day new COVID-19 cases in Ottawa on Monday
Health officials reported a big drop in the number of new cases of COVID-19 in Ottawa on Monday.
Ottawa Public Health confirmed 65 new infections.
Acording to OPH's COVID-19 dashboard, there have been 7,197 total laboratory-confirmed cases of COVID-19 in Ottawa since the pandemic began.
No new deaths were reported on Monday. Ottawa's death toll from COVID-19 stands at 328 residents.
How one COVID-19 case at an Ottawa sports practice led to six outbreaks, dozens of infections
Ottawa Public Health has published another contact tracing example, this time showing how one person with COVID-19 attending a sports practice led to dozens of positive cases across the city.
The example shows that one person with COVID-19 attended a sports practice indoors with 30 other people. At least nine people from that team later tested positive.
From that team, cases spread to a second team and six other households, including one in which people from different households were all dining indoors.
At least 60 people tested positive for COVID-19 following the original outbreak and 170 people needed to self-isolate because they were considered high-risk contacts.
City plans to help restaurants this winter with expanded patio options
The city is not waiting to see if the province will lift indoor dining restrictions on Nov. 6, proposing ways to help keep outdoor dining going, even in the winter months.
The Transportation Committee voted Monday to waive patio fees for all of 2021 as well as allow business improvement areas (BIAs) to request road closures until April 1, 2021, which would help restaurants expand socially distanced seating onto the street. The plan could also help other businesses, such as retailers. Closed roads would also give more space for pedestrians to physically distance.
Committee also approved a plan to provide $150,000 in grants to business groups to help bolster economic activity.
Ontario premier says decision on easing Stage 2 restrictions will be made 'very soon'
Ontario Premier Doug Ford said a decision will be made "very soon" on whether restrictions can be eased in the province's COVID-19 hot spots.
The premier said he would get recommendations from the health table Monday, adding that he would hopefully have some "better news over the next few days."
Toronto, Peel Region, Ottawa and York Region are currently in a modified Stage 2, which requires all indoor dining, gyms and movie theatres to close for a 28-day period.
The 28-day period expires for Toronto, Peel Region and Ottawa on Saturday, while in York Region it ends a week later.
'Groundhog Day?': Outaouais police break up party in Val-des-Monts
MRC des Collines police say they've broken up another big party in the Outaouais, just one week after a major rager in Chelsea was shut down.
In a tweet on Monday, police said 16 people in their twenties were at a Halloween party in Val-des-Monts.
Police spokesperson Sgt. Martin Fournel tells CTV News the party was at a private home and officers were called at around 1:30 a.m. Nov. 1.
All of the party attendees could face fines of $1000 each.
This is the second large party to be broken up by Outaouais police in recent days. Last week, MRC des Collines police broke up a party in Chelsea and fined 83 students $1000 each.
