OTTAWA -- Ottawa Public Health says a "large number of case reports" received late Wednesday was reflected in Ontario's COVID-19 case count and not the local tally, resulting in a major discrepancy in the reports on New Year's Eve.

Public Health Ontario reported both Ottawa and Ontario set new one-day records for new COVID-19 cases on the last day of 2020.

The provincial agency said Thursday morning that there were 194 new cases of COVID-19 in the capital. The previous record for COVID-19 in Ottawa was 183 cases, set back on Oct. 8.

Across Ontario, 3,328 new cases of COVID-19 were reported – a one-day record for Ontario. There are 888 new cases in Toronto, 431 in Peel, 418 in York Region and 257 in Windsor-Essex.

Ottawa Public Health (OPH) reported 63 new cases of COVID-19 in Ottawa in its daily update on Thursday afternoon. In a statement to CTV News Ottawa, Ottawa Public Health says OPH and the Ontario provincial COVID-19 dashboards use different database systems, which pull data at different times of day.

"OPH received a large number of case reports late Wednesday, which is reflected in the provincial counts, and not in the COVID-19 Ottawa database counts. OPH anticipates the discrepancy between the provincial and OPH dashboard case counts on Dec. 31 to be adjusted in the days to come."

OPH adds the data on the Ottawa Public Health COVID-19 dashboard reflects data that has been verified by case management and contact tracing work.

In a message on Twitter, Ottawa Public Health said the number reported is different than what the province reported, "there are reasons for this.. involving databases, reporting methods, data verification at local level, etc."

The health unit adds, "The day-by-day case counts aren't what we need to focus on. It's the trends that matter. And ours are trending up. All of the data indicates that. And that's not good."

Since the first case of COVID-19 on March 11, Ottawa Public Health reports there have been 9,929 laboratory confirmed cases of COVID-19 in Ottawa, including 392 deaths.

OTTAWA'S COVID-19 KEY STATISTICS

A province-wide lockdown went into effect on Dec. 26.

Ottawa Public Health data:

  • COVID-19 cases per 100,000: 40.7 cases
  • Positivity rate in Ottawa: 2.5 per cent (Dec. 23-Dec. 29)
  • Reproduction number:  1.06 (seven day average)

HOSPITALIZATIONS IN OTTAWA

Ottawa Public Health reports 11 people are currently in an Ottawa hospital being treated for COVID-19.

Four people are in the intensive care unit.

Of the people in hospital, two are in their 20s, one is in their 50s (This person is in the ICU), Two are in their 60s (Both people are in the ICU), one in their 70s, four are in their 80s, and one is 90 or older.

ACTIVE CASES IN OTTAWA

The number of people in Ottawa with active cases of COVID-19 increased on Thursday.

Ottawa Public Health reports 483 active cases of COVID-19 in Ottawa, up from 473 active cases on Wednesday and 446 on Tuesday.

A total 9,054 people have recovered after testing positive for COVID-19.

CASES OF COVID-19 BY AGE CATEGORY

Here is a breakdown of all known COVID-19 cases in Ottawa by age category: (Ottawa Public Health's breakdown of 63 new cases of COVID-19 on Thursday)

  • 0-9 years old: Six new cases (682 total cases)
  • 10-19 years-old: Five new cases (1,184 total cases)
  • 20-29 years-old: 13 new cases (2,069 total cases)
  • 30-39 years-old: 11 new cases (1,367 total cases)
  • 40-49 years-old: 11 new cases (1,269 total cases)
  • 50-59 years-old: Seven new cases (1,156 total cases)
  • 60-69-years-old: Four new cases (757 total cases)
  • 70-79 years-old: Four new cases (493 total cases)
  • 80-89 years-old: One new case (562 total cases)
  • 90+ years old: One new case (386 total cases)

COVID-19 Testing

Public Health Ontario reported 63,900 tests were completed across Ontario over the previous 24 hours leading up to the reporting of Thursday's COVID-19 case numbers.

In Ottawa, the Ottawa COVID-19 Testing Taskforce said 1,689 swabs were taken at assessment centres in Ottawa on Dec. 29.  A total 3,949 lab tests were performed in Ottawa.

Ottawa's positivity rate was 2.5 per cent for the period Dec. 23-29.

COVID-19 CASES ACROSS THE REGION

  • Eastern Ontario Health Unit: 58 cases
  • Kingston, Frontenac, Lennox and Addington Public Health: 13 cases
  • Leeds, Grenville and Lanark District Health Unit: 10 cases
  • Renfrew County and District Health Unit: Six cases
  • Quebec health officials reported 45 cases of COVID-19 in the Outaouais, which includes Gatineau

INSTITUTIONAL OUTBREAKS

Ottawa Public Health is reporting COVID-19 outbreaks at 21 institutions in Ottawa, including long-term care homes, retirement homes, daycares, hospitals and schools.

The COVID-19 outbreak is now over at Bridlewood Trails.

The schools and childcare spaces currently experiencing outbreaks are:

  1. Ecole secondaire publique Louis-Riel
  2. Ecole secondaire publique Gisele-Lalonde
  3. École élémentaire catholique Terre-Des-Jeunes
  4. Grandir Ensemble a l'ecole Terre des Jeunes
  5. Ridgemont High School

The long-term care homes, retirement homes, hospitals, and other spaces currently experiencing outbreaks are:

  1. Besserer Place 
  2. Courtyards on Eagleson
  3. Extendicare Medex
  4. Extendicare New Orchard Lodge
  5. Extendicare West End Villa
  6. Forest Hill
  7. Group Home – 27498
  8. Group home – 27332
  9. Madonna Care Community
  10. Maison Accueil-Sagesse
  11. Manoir Marochel
  12. Parkway House
  13. Riverpath Retirement Community
  14. Shelter – 27273
  15. Shelter – 27734
  16. Village at the Glebe Retirement Residence

A single laboratory-confirmed case of COVID-19 in a resident or staff member of a long-term care home, retirement home or shelter triggers an outbreak response, according to Ottawa Public Health. In childcare settings, a single confirmed, symptomatic case in a staff member, home daycare provider, or child triggers an outbreak.

Under provincial guidelines, a COVID-19 outbreak in a school is defined as two or more lab-confirmed COVID-19 cases in students and/or staff in a school with an epidemiological link, within a 14-day period, where at least one case could have reasonably acquired their infection in the school (including transportation and before or after school care).