OTTAWA -- Good morning. Here is the latest news on COVID-19 and its impact on Ottawa.
Fast Facts:
- Ottawa Public Health reported zero patients with COVID-19 in the city's ICUs for the first time since September.
- Canada has surpassed 500,000 total COVID-19 cases.
- Visitors to the Royal Canadian Legion in Wellington, Ont. this month are asked to self-isolate due to COVID-19 risk.
COVID-19 by the numbers in Ottawa:
- New cases: 46 new cases on Saturday
- Total COVID-19 cases: 9,314
- COVID-19 cases per 100,000 (previous seven days): 30.9
- Positivity rate in Ottawa: 1.4 per cent (Dec 11-17)
- Reproduction Number: 0.98 (seven day average)
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. 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. Testing is available by appointment only.
To book a test for a child under the age of 18, click here.
The COVID-19 Care and Testing Centre at 595 Moodie Dr. is open from 8 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. Monday to Friday. The centre offers an appointment with a physician (including appropriate tests) for residents who are experiencing more significant symptoms like fever, difficulty breathing or a sore throat, or testing only for residents with mild symptoms or others who qualify for testing under current guidelines.
To book an appointment, click here.
The COVID-19 Care and Testing Centre at 1485 Heron Rd. is open from 8 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. Monday to Friday. The centre offers an appointment with a physician (including appropriate tests) for residents who are experiencing more significant symptoms like fever, difficulty breathing or a sore throat, or testing only for residents with mild symptoms or others who qualify for testing under current guidelines.
To book an appointment, click here.
The COVID-19 Care and Testing Centre at the Ray Friel Recreation Complex – 1585 Tenth Line Rd. is open Monday to Friday from 8 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. It offers an appointment with a physician (including appropriate tests) for residents who are experiencing more significant symptoms like fever, difficulty breathing or a sore throat, or testing only for residents with mild symptoms or others who qualify for testing under current guidelines.
To book an appointment, click here.
The COVID-19 drive-thru assessment centre at the National Arts Centre. The centre is open seven days a week, from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m.
To book an appointment, click here.
The COVID-19 Assessment Centre at the McNabb Community Centre, located at 180 Percy Street, is open Monday to Friday, 10:30 a.m. to 5:30 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 or book an appointment online.
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 or book an appointment online.
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
Zero COVID-19 patients in Ottawa ICUs
Ottawa Public Health said Saturday there are no patients in Ottawa ICUs with COVID-19 complications. The last time there was no one with COVID-19 in an intensive care unit in Ottawa was in September.
The latest update from OPH on Saturday showed 20 hospitalized patients in the city, but zero in any ICU.
OPH reported 46 more people in the city have tested positive for COVID-19, but the number of people with active cases went down slightly.
Ontario health officials confirmed 2,357 new cases of COVID-19 on Saturday along with 27 new deaths across the province. 1,865 recoveries have also been reported.
Canada surpasses 500,000 COVID-19 cases
Canada has now recorded more than half a million cases of COVID-19 since the beginning of the global pandemic, adding more than 100,000 cases in the last two weeks.
The grim milestone came after Saskatchewan reported 252 new cases of the disease today, bringing the national tally to 500,242.
Quebec also set a new case record Saturday after reporting 2,038 new cases and 44 more deaths, the province's highest single-day jump since the start of the pandemic.
The country’s caseload has been rapidly accelerating during the second wave of the pandemic, prompting several provinces and regions to issue new lockdown measures ahead of the holiday season.
Canada recorded it’s 400,000 case of COVID-19 just 15 days ago on Dec. 4.
Visitors to Wellington, Ont. Legion told to self-isolate after COVID-19 cases confirmed
Hastings Prince Edward Public Health says anyone who went to the Royal Canadian Legion branch in Wellington, ON between Nov. 30 and Dec. 18 is at risk for COVID-19.
In a media release on Saturday, the health unit for Belleville and the surrounding region said two cases of COVID-19 linked to the Wellington Legion have been confirmed and contact tracing is underway.
The HPEPH says individuals who attended the legion on these dates and are required to self-isolate immediately; seek testing as soon as possible; and await further direction from public health.
