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

Fast Facts:

  • Ottawa Public Health recommends no trick-or-treating in Ottawa this year due to COVID-19
  • Ottawa sees highest one-day increase in new COVID-19 cases in two weeks
  • Mayor, top doc working on "made-in-Ottawa" approach to COVID-19 measures
  • Family Thanksgiving dinner in Renfrew County turns into a COVID-19 super-spreader event
  • Ontario premier's constituency office "locked down" after COVID-19 outbreak

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.

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

COVID-safe Halloween: Here's where you can go trick-or-treating in eastern Ontario and western Quebec

It's Halloween, and Ottawa Public Health is asking trick-to-treaters to stay home this year to limit the spread of COVID-19.

Medical Officer of Health Dr. Vera Etches said earlier this week that the reason kids can't go out for Halloween is, "There's still too much COVID-19 in our community. So going door-to-door would be considered a high-risk activity."

The Eastern Ontario Health Unit is also recommending no trick-or-treating on Halloween in its region.

The City of Gatineau announced the traditional Halloween hunt for treats would go ahead on Oct. 31.

Upon returning home from trick-or-treating, all treats should be quarantined for at least 24 hours. Children and parents could get contaminated by eating them sooner.

Halloween

Ottawa sees highest one-day increase in new COVID-19 cases in two weeks

Ottawa Public Health reported 97 new cases of COVID-19 in Ottawa on Friday, the highest one-day increase in new cases in two weeks.

There are also two new deaths linked to novel coronavirus.

Since the first case of COVID-19 on March 11, there have been 6.927 laboratory-confirmed cases of COVID-19 in Ottawa, including 323 deaths.

Thirty-seven of the 97 new cases of COVID-19 involve Ottawa residents under the age of 30, while 21 new cases were identified in residents over the age of 80.

 

Mayor, top doc working on 'made-in-Ottawa' approach to COVID-19 measures after 28-day shutdown

With one week left in the initial 28-day modified Stage 2 in Ottawa, the City of Ottawa is working on a "made-in-Ottawa approach" for new COVID-19 measures.

Mayor Jim Watson says Medical Officer of Health Dr. Vera Etches is consulting with local businesses, Business Improvement Areas and health professionals, and will submit a list of recommendations for COVID-19 measures next week.

Watson says Premier Doug Ford asked the mayor for suggestions on the measures.

Speaking on CTV Morning Live Friday morning, Dr. Etches said she is looking at "sustainable measures" that will help reduce the transmission of COVID-19 in Ottawa moving forward.

"What can we do to make places like restaurants, bars, gyms, where there is the risk of transmission of COVID, safer so that we can find a way to strike that balance between the harms that come when people lose employment with the harms of COVID transmission."

Ford told reporters in Toronto on Friday that he has asked public experts to create a plan that would ease restrictions and allow businesses to start reopening in the four COVID-19 hot spots.

Businesses

Family Thanksgiving dinner linked to 13 cases of COVID-19 in Renfrew County

Three weeks after Thanksgiving weekend, a family dinner is Renfrew County is being linked to 13 cases of COVID-19.

Acting Medical Officer of Health Dr. Robert Cushman tells CTV News Ottawa between 15 and 20 people attended an intergenerational Thanksgiving dinner over the holiday weekend.

Dr. Cushman says it appears someone at the dinner was asymptomatic or didn't pay attention to the symptoms.

The Renfrew County and District Health Unit says 13 positive cases are linked to the Thanksgiving dinner, including two new cases Thursday. Not all 13 positive cases attended the dinner.

Thanksgiving dinner

Ontario premier's constituency office 'locked down' after COVID-19 outbreak

Premier Doug Ford's constituency office in North Etobicoke will be closed for the "foreseeable future" after a COVID-19 outbreak among staff.

"The premier has not visited the office in the past two weeks and has had no exposure," said a spokesperson for the premier on Friday. "To allow for a deep cleaning, the office will be closed for the foreseeable future as services and support continues to be offered virtually."

Doug Ford