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

Fast Facts:

  • Active cases of COVID-19 in Ottawa fell on Tuesday, despite an uptick in new cases.
  • Ontario Premier Doug Ford addressed a decline in COVID-19 testing numbers across the province.
  • A theatre company in Gananoque has come up with a "Reverse Halloween" idea to keep Halloween safe for kids.
  • A Centretown restaurant is closing its doors temporarily, while a ByWard Market bar is cutting hours because of restrictions on indoor dining.

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 a test

The COVID-19 assessment centre at Brewer Arena, 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.

The 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.

For those requiring extra support for accessibility reasons, please contact CHEO’s Patient Experience team at 613-737-7600 x6720.

The COVID-19 care clinic at 595 Moodie Dr. is open Monday to Friday from 8 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. for people with escalating symptoms and in need of medical attention.

To book an appointment, click here.

If you need to book an appointment but do not have access to the internet, please call 613-721-4722

The COVID-19 care clinic at 1485 Heron Rd. is open Monday to Friday from 8 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. for people with escalating symptoms and in need of medical attention.

To book an appointment, click here.

If you need to book an appointment but do not have access to the internet, please call 613-288-5353.

The COVID-19 drive-thru assessment centre at 300 Coventry Rd. is open from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. seven days a week.

To book an appointment, click here.

The COVID-19 care clinic at the Ray Friel Recreation Centre, 1585 Tenth Line Rd. is open Monday to Friday from 8 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. There are two options for visitors, either a test only, or an assessment by a doctor and a test For people who need to see a doctor because of pressure or discomfort in the chest, difficulty breathing or a sore throat..

To book an appointment, click here. 

If you need to book an appointment but do not have access to the internet, please call 613- 288-5353.

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

Active cases decline despite in uptick in cases

Ottawa Public Health is reporting a slight decline in the number of active cases of COVID-19 in Ottawa, despite an uptick in new confirmed cases on Tuesday.

OPH reported 78 new cases of COVID-19 in its latest update. That puts the pandemic's total at 6,166 cases since the first case was confirmed on March 11. The figure is the highest number of new cases reported in Ottawa in four days.

However, a surge in resolved cases brought the total number of people still dealing with the disease down slightly to 745 from 759.

 

"Can't force people to get a test"

A little more than 24,000 tests for COVID-19 were processed in Ontario over the last 24 hours, a far cry from the province’s 50,000 test capacity. But Premier Doug Ford said Tuesday that unlike the testing challenges of the past, these relatively low numbers can be chalked up to either a lack of symptoms or a lack of interest.

“We can't force people to come in for a test,” Ford said at a news conference in Toronto.

Ford said it’s unclear why people aren’t booking appointments to get tested for the disease, but he appears to believe that maybe residents “aren’t showing symptoms.”

COVID-19 test

Halloween in reverse: the candy comes to you

Halloween will be different for many this year, with some areas in the province recommending ghosts, goblins and witches not to go door to door.

However, one Gananoque theatre company has a solution, even though that town is allowing people to trick or treat on October 31.

The plan is called "Reverse Halloween". Residents donate candy to the Thousand Islands Playhouse and then costumed volunteers will deliver the candy to homes that sign up.

In some parts of the province, including Ottawa but not Gananoque, door-to-door trick-or-treating is strongly discouraged because of the risk of COVID-19 transmission. Reverse Halloween is meant as an idea to allow families to keep their kids home while still enjoying all of the scares and sweets the night brings.

Candy Barrel

Businesses forced to cut hours to survive in second wave of closures

A well-known Centretown diner and a staple in the ByWard Market are the latest bars and restaurants to be impacted by restrictions caused by COVID-19.

Wilf & Ada’s on Bank Street is temporarily closing, and the Chateau Lafayette—better known as "The Laff"—is reducing their hours to being open only three days a week.

Ottawa has been under modified Stage 2 restrictions from the provincial government since Oct. 10. The order is in effect for at least 28 days.

Wilf and Ada's