OTTAWA -- Good morning. Here is the latest news on COVID-19 and its impact on Ottawa.
Fast Facts:
- One new COVID-19 related death was reported in Ottawa on Tuesday.
- Eight new cases of COVID-19 were reported in the city.
- 112 new cases of COVID-19 were reported across Ontario.
- An Ottawa-Carleton District School Board trustee admits the usual work to prepare for the new school year wasn't done in the spring due to the pandemic.
- Legal experts say schools and private "pandemic pods" could be held liable for outbreaks.
Testing:
• The COVID-19 assessment centre at 151 Brewer Way is open from 9 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. today.
• The COVID-19 care clinic at 595 Moodie Dr. is open from 9 a.m. to 3:30 p.m today.
• The COVID-19 care clinic at 1485 Heron Rd. is open from 9 a.m. to 3:30 p.m today.
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
New COVID-19 death reported in Ottawa
(Can't see this infographic? Click here.)
Ottawa Public Health says one person died of COVID-19 this week, bringing the city's death toll to 267.
Data from OPH's COVID-19 dashboard suggests the victim was a woman in her 90s or older.
Eight new cases were added to the case count in Ottawa on Tuesday, with active cases rising by one.
Normal work to plan for fall wasn't done in spring, board trustee says
An Ottawa-Carleton District School Board trustee admits that staff at the board were not doing the usual planning for the return to school in September this past May and June.
Speaking on CTV News at Noon, Mark Fisher said that the COVID-19 pandemic disrupted the usual end-of-school-year plans and delays from the Ontario government only gave the board a few weeks to prepare.
Schools could be legally liable for COVID-19 outbreaks
As parents and students grapple with the risk of COVID-19, legal experts warn that schools and those operating private at-home ‘pandemic pods’ could be held liable in the event of an outbreak.
Experts say it’s a complex issue compounded by the fact that neither the federal nor provincial governments have given school boards immunity from legal action in the event that a student contracts COVID-19 on school property.
However, experts note that a claim would likely only be successful if it could be proven that the school acted negligently.
And finally…
Health Canada has changed its stance on the use of at-home COVID-19 test kits and is now considering applications from both international and domestic suppliers for devices that would be used for screening, rather than diagnostic purposes.
In a statement to CTVNews.ca on Monday evening, Cole Davidson, a spokesperson for the federal minister of health, said as new information has become available about the potential value of self-testing devices, Health Canada has revised its position.
"Health Canada is now considering applications for home testing devices for screening purposes. Health Canada is open to reviewing all testing solutions. This includes approaches that use self-collection and/or at-home test kits, in particular for screening purposes," the statement reads.
With files from CTV's Nicole Bogart and Sarah Turnbull.
