OTTAWA -- Good morning. Here is the latest news on COVID-19 and its impact on Ottawa.
Fast Facts:
- Ottawa Public Health reported 78 new cases of COVID-19 and three new deaths on Saturday.
- Ontario set a new record for the most COVID-19 cases reported provincewide in a single day.
- Ottawa officially moved into Ontario's new "Orange-Restrict" level on Saturday, allowing indoor dining and gyms to reopen after 28 days.
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 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.
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.
The COVID-19 care clinic at 595 Moodie Dr. is open from 8 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. Monday to Friday for people with escalating symptoms and in need of medical attention.
To book an appointment, click here.
The COVID-19 care clinic at 1485 Heron Rd. is open from 8 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. Monday to Friday for people with escalating symptoms and in need of medical attention.
To book an appointment, click here.
The COVID-19 care clinic at the Ray Friel Recreation Complex – 1585 Tenth Line Rd. is open Monday to Friday from 8 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. There are two options available for visitors: a test only or an assessment by a doctor and a test.
To book an appointment, click here.
The COVID-19 drive-thru assessment centre at 300 Coventry Road is open from 10 a.m. to 6 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
Saturday's new COVID-19 case count in Ottawa double Friday's number
Ottawa Public Health reported 78 new cases of COVID-19 on Saturday, more than double the number reported on Friday.
Case counts have been trending downward in November, with Friday's 36 cases being the second-lowest number of new cases reported this fall.
Despite the uptick in cases on Saturday, Ottawa's seven-day average is about 18 per cent lower than it was the week before.
Three new deaths were reported in Ottawa on Saturday, bringing the city's death toll from COVID-19 to 339 residents.
Ontario breaks another COVID-19 record
While Ottawa's daily case counts have been trending lower in recent days, Ontario as a whole appears to be moving in the other direction.
Health officials recorded 1,132 new cases of COVID-19 across the province on Saturday, which becomes the highest single-day case count of the pandemic. The previous watermark was 1,050 new cases, reported on Tuesday.
Ontario’s seven-day average for number of cases reported is now 1,013, reaching quadruple digits for the first time.
Of the new cases logged on Saturday, 336 were in Toronto, 258 were in Peel Region, and 114 were in York Region.
Indoor dining returns and gyms reopen after 28 days
Indoor dining, gyms, fitness centres and movie theatres may reopen in Ottawa today, as the national capital region moves into the new "Orange-Restrict" level of Ontario's COVID-19 tiered shutdown system.
Under the new Keeping Ontario Safe and Open Framework, all 34 public health units will be placed in one of five categories for COVID-19 measures. The five levels are prevent (green), protect (yellow), restrict (orange), control (red) and lockdown (grey).
Restaurants, bars and other food and drink establishments can open for indoor dining, but there's a 50 person indoor capacity limit, a maximum of four people sitting at a table and last call is at 9 p.m. Gyms and fitness centres can also reopen with a maximum of 50 people per facility.
See more details about the restrictions here.
