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

Fast Facts:

  • Eastern Ontario Health Unit looks at new restrictions as COVID-19 cases rise
  • Ottawa surpasses 6,000 cases of COVID-19 during the pandemic
  • New COVID-19 testing facility opens in Ottawa's east-end
  • Safety dance! Ontario sports minister working to allow dance studios to reopen under modified Stage 2 restrictions
  • Little Italy restaurant closing after 30 years
  • Sparks Street restaurant receives $500 tip from customers enjoying an evening on the patio

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 is open Monday to Friday from 8 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. (The clinic is open 12 p.m. to 3:30 p.m. on Monday, Oct. 19.)

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.

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

Eastern Ontario Health Unit considers new restrictions as COVID-19 cases rise

Eastern Ontario's top doctor warns Alexandria, Cornwall, Casselman, Hawkesbury, Clarence-Rockland and other areas could roll back to a modified Stage 2 as COVID-19 cases rise.

There were 86 new cases of COVID-19 in the Eastern Ontario Health Unit region over the last seven days. The high was 23 new cases on Thursday.

"We are likely going to or need to really look at over the next couple of days the possibility of us too in our area going into this modified Stage 2 type of restriction," said Dr. Paul Roumeliotis, Eastern Ontario's Medical Officer of Health.

Dr. Roumeliotis tells CTV News Ottawa's Jeremie Charron that new data expected to be released this week will help determine whether new restrictions need to be imposed in eastern Ontario to limit the spread of COVID-19.

Restaurants want COVID-19 restrictions amended

Slight uptick in active COVID-19 cases in Ottawa on Sunday as total case count passes 6,000

Just over seven months after the first case of COVID-19 in Ottawa, the capital surpassed 6,000 total cases of COVID-19 on Sunday.

Ottawa Public Health reported 67 new cases of COVID-19 in Ottawa on Sunday, along with two new deaths.

There have been a total of 6,036 laboratory-confirmed cases of COVID-19 in Ottawa, including 303 deaths.

There are 790 active cases of COVID-19 in Ottawa.

 

NEW COVID-19 care clinic opens in Ottawa's east-end

The Montfort Hospital officially opens its new open COVID-19 care clinic in the east-end today.

The new COVID-19 care clinic and testing centre is located at the Ray Friel Recreation Complex at 1585 Tenth Line Rd.

You must book an appointment to visit the clinic for a COVID-19 test.

The COVID-19 care clinic at Ray Friel Recreation Complex will be open on Monday, Oct. 19 from 12 p.m. to 3:30 p.m. 

Regular hours for the COVID-19 care clinic and testing centre are Monday to Friday from 8 a.m. to 3:30 p.m.

COVID-19 Care Clinic Ottawa

Ontario sports minister working to allow dance studios to reopen under modified Stage 2 restrictions

Ontario is looking at ways to allow dance studios in Ottawa, Toronto and Peel Region to reopen despite the new COVID-19 restrictions.

Minister of Tourism, Culture and Sport Lisa MacLeod said on Twitter that she had "heard from dance studios loud and clear" and was talking with the Chief Medical Officer of Health and health experts about options to allow dance studios to reopen.

Speaking to CTV News Ottawa on Sunday, MacLeod said she believed dance studios were lumped "unfairly" in with gyms when deciding what should or should not be closed.

"Dance studios should be treated like other sports," she said. "When they're training for the fundamentals, they should have the same setup but they were lumped, I think unfairly, in with fitness clubs, so we needed to work on that."

Ballet

Little Italy restaurant closing after 30 years

A popular restaurant in Ottawa's Little Italy neighbourhood is closing after 30 years.

In a statement on Instagram, Allegro Ristorante said, "it is with heavy hearts that today we announce the closing of Allegro Ristorante. Saturday, Oct. 24 will be our last night."

"When we took over Allegro seven years ago, we never expected to have clients and staff become friends, who then became family. It was life changing for us to meet so many good people. We will miss sharing in your special day, being part of your celebrations and being there for you through your sorrows."

Sparks Street restaurant receives a generous tip during COVID-19 pandemic

A Sparks Street restaurant says a generous tip from customers sitting on the patio on a cool Saturday evening "brings hope that there is light despite all of the darkness."

On Twitter, Rabbit Hole thanked two customers who tipped $500 on their $170 bill.

It's the latest in a serious of very generous tips to restaurants and bars struggling during the COVID-19 pandemic.

On Friday, CTV News Ottawa shared the story of a $700 tip on the bill for a bottle of wine at Bambu Restaurant on Riverside Drive.