Ottawa enters new wave of COVID-19, health unit declares
Ottawa Public Health says Ottawa has entered a new wave of COVID-19 this fall, as key indicators indicate a rise in COVID-19 in the community.
Ottawa residents are being urged to wear masks indoors to protect themselves and others, and be up to date on their COVID-19 vaccinations.
In its weekly snapshot of the COVID-19 situation in Ottawa, the health unit said, "Our monitoring indicators are showing we are now in a new wave of COVID-19."
"We are also heading into the respiratory illness season where we expect respiratory viruses to be circulating."
Ottawa Public Health says both the wastewater viral signal and the testing per cent positivity rates are high and increasing. While the COVID-19 wastewater viral signal is lower this week than it was from mid-July to mid-August, it is still higher than it was during the Omicron wave in the winter.
"The same strategies we use to fight COVID-19 can help protect you from other viruses," the health unit said on Twitter.
"If you are feeling sick, stay home. Isolate until you have no fever & symptoms have been improving for at least 24 hours. After isolating, continue to wear a mask in public for 10 days. As the weather gets colder, more people will gather indoors. Consider wearing a mask to protect yourself and others from COVID-19 and other viruses. Your actions matter."
All Ottawa residents aged 18 and older are now eligible to receive the bivalent COVID-19 booster dose, and will be offered the bivalent vaccine when you book an appointment.
"This booster is an added layer of protection, giving your body even more ways, it can fight COVID-19," the health unit said.
The Montfort Hospital has imposed visitor restrictions due to a rise in COVID-19 cases in the community.
Effective Wednesday, visitors are not allowed to visit patients in care units at Montfort Hospital.
Only one family caregiver at a time may be present at the bedside, and up to two family caregivers may be designated to assist the patient.
"This is a safety measure for our patients and employees as we see a rise in COVID-19 cases in our community," the Montfort Hospital said in a statement to CTV News Ottawa.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
BREAKING Average hourly wage in Canada now $34.95: StatCan
Average hourly wages among Canadian employees rose to $34.95 on a year-over-year basis in April, a 4.7 per cent increase, according to a Statistics Canada report released Friday morning.
From outer space? Sask. farmers baffled after discovering strange wreckage in field
A family of fifth generation farmers from Ituna, Sask. are trying to find answers after discovering several strange objects lying on their land.
This iconic Canadian song is turning 50
Andy Kim's 'Rock Me Gently' is marking a major milestone, as it celebrates its 50th anniversary.
Oprah Winfrey: I set an unrealistic standard for dieting
Oprah Winfrey said on Thursday evening that she has long played a role in promoting unhealthy and unrealistic diets.
Ontario family receives massive hospital bill as part of LTC law, refuses to pay
A southwestern Ontario woman has received an $8,400 bill from a hospital in Windsor, Ont., after she refused to put her mother in a nursing home she hated -- and she says she has no intention of paying it.
Toronto police called to Drake's Bridle Path mansion for another alleged intruder on Thursday
Toronto police say a man who allegedly attempted to access Drake’s Bridle Path property was taken to hospital on Thursday after an altercation with security guards.
Flat tire on a highway? Here's why you shouldn't try to fix it
If you're cruising down a highway and realize you have a flat tire, you may want to think twice before stopping to fix it on the side of the road.
Storm-battered U.S. South is again under threat. A boy swept into a drain fights for his life
Dangerous storms crashed over parts of the U.S. South on Thursday even as the region cleaned up from earlier severe weather that spawned tornadoes, killed at least three people, and gravely injured a boy who was swept into a storm drain as he played in a flooded street.
Broadcaster and commentator Rex Murphy dead at 77: National Post
The National Post is reporting that Rex Murphy, the pundit and columnist who hosted a national call-in radio show for decades, has died.