OTTAWA -- Ottawa recorded another 132 new cases of COVID-19 on Wednesday as the number of active cases in the city reached a new high.

New case counts in the city have reached triple digits for six of the last seven days.

There are now 1,243 active cases of COVID-19 in Ottawa, the most since the pandemic began. No new deaths have been reported.

The new infections are among more than 3,300 recorded in Ontario on Thursday, an increase after two days in which the new case count dipped below 3,000.

Ontario health officials had earlier reported 144 new cases in Ottawa; the two authorities' numbers often differ due to different reporting times.

Ontario's stay-at-home order came into effect on Thursday, ordering residents to stay home except for essential trips for groceries, medical treatment or exercise.

OTTAWA'S COVID-19 KEY STATISTICS

A province-wide lockdown went into effect on Dec. 26, 2020. Ottawa Public Health moved Ottawa into its red zone last week.

Ottawa Public Health data:

  • COVID-19 cases per 100,000 (previous seven days): 98 cases
  • Positivity rate in Ottawa: 4.5 per cent (Jan. 7 - Jan. 13)
  • Reproduction number: 1.01 (seven day average) 

Reproduction values greater than 1 indicate the virus is spreading and each case infects more than one contact. If it is less than 1, it means spread is slowing.

ACTIVE CASES OF COVID-19 IN OTTAWA

The number of people in Ottawa with known active cases of COVID-19 has risen to 1,243, marking another new record high for the city.

The previous record of 1,217 was set on Wednesday.

OPH reported 106 new resolved cases in Ottawa today, bringing the city's total to 10,238.

The number of active cases is the number of total laboratory-confirmed cases of COVID-19 minus the numbers of resolved cases and deaths. A case is considered resolved 14 days after known symptom onset or positive test result.

 

 

HOSPITALIZATIONS IN OTTAWA

The number of people in Ottawa hospitals with COVID-19 complications held steady on Wednesday.

There are now 33 people in hospital and 12 in the ICU with COVID-19, three fewer than yesterday..

Of the people in hospital, one is 10-19 years old (this person is in the ICU), one is in their 30s (this person is in the ICU), six are in their 50s (two are in the ICU), eight are in their 60s (four are in the ICU), 11 are in their 70s (four are in the ICU), three are in their 80s, and three are 90 or older.

Ottawa Public Health says 79 per cent of the city's ICU beds were occupied as of Jan. 11.

TESTING

Ontario health officials says 71,169 COVID-19 tests were completed across the province on Wednesday and 66,940 tests remain under investigation.

The Ottawa COVID-19 Testing Taskforce says 1,401 swabs were taken at local assessment centres on Wednesday and labs performed 5,936 tests. There are 4,325 tests still in progress as of Jan. 14.

The positivity rate for the week of Jan. 7 to 13 was 4.5 per cent.

The average turnaround from the time the swab is taken at a testing site to the result is 39 hours.

CASES OF COVID-19 IN OTTAWA BY AGE CATEGORY

Here is a breakdown of all known COVID-19 cases in Ottawa by age category:

  • 0-9 years old: 14 new cases (829 total cases)
  • 10-19 years-old: 35 new cases (1,478 total cases)
  • 20-29 years-old: 29 new cases (2,509 total cases)
  • 30-39 years-old: 41 new cases (1,625 total cases)
  • 40-49 years-old: 37 new cases (1,552 total cases)
  • 50-59 years-old: 10 new cases (1,406 total cases)
  • 60-69-years-old: 4 new cases (883 total cases)
  • 70-79 years-old: 1 new cases (554 total cases)
  • 80-89 years-old: 4 new cases (620 total cases)
  • 90+ years old: 3 new cases (420 total cases)
  • Unknown: 3 cases reassigned (5 cases total)

CASES OF COVID-19 AROUND THE REGION

  • Eastern Ontario Health Unit: 30 new cases
  • Hastings Prince Edward Public Health: 3 new cases
  • Kingston, Frontenac, Lennox & Addington Public Health: 5 new cases
  • Leeds, Grenville & Lanark District Health Unit: 3 new cases
  • Renfrew County and District Health Unit: 3 new cases
  • Outaouais region: 52 new cases

INSTITUTIONAL OUTBREAKS

Ottawa Public Health is reporting COVID-19 outbreaks at 33 institutions in Ottawa, including long-term care homes, retirement homes, daycares, hospitals and schools.

There are seven active community outbreaks.

Two involve health workplaces, one is in a multi-unit dwelling, one is linked to sports and recreation, one is at an office, one is at a distribution centre, and one is at a retail workplace. 

The schools and childcare spaces currently experiencing outbreaks are:

  1. Andrew Fleck Children's Services

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

  1. Alta Vista Manor
  2. Besserer Place
  3. Carleton Lodge
  4. Carlingview Manor
  5. Centre D'Accueil Champlain
  6. Chartwell Duke of Devonshire Retirement Home
  7. Colonel By Retirement Home
  8. Extendicare Laurier Manor
  9. Extendicare Medex
  10. Extendicare New Orchard Lodge
  11. Extendicare Starwood
  12. Forest Hill
  13. Garry J. Armstrong long-term care home
  14. Grace Manor Long-term Care Home
  15. Granite Ridge long-term care home
  16. Group Home - 28608
  17. Group Home - 28848
  18. Group Home - 28740 
  19. Hillel Lodge
  20. Manoir Marochel
  21. Maplewood Retirement Community
  22. Portobello Retirement Residence
  23. Redwoods Retirement Residence
  24. Royal Ottawa Place
  25. Shelter - 27549
  26. Shelter - 28365
  27. Sisters of Charity Couvent Mont Saint-Joseph
  28. Sisters of Charity Maison Mère
  29. St. Patrick's Home
  30. Supported Independent Living - 28110
  31. Valley Stream Retirement Residence
  32. Villa Marconi

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).