OTTAWA -- Ottawa Public Health is reporting 70 more people in Ottawa have tested positive for COVID-19, meaning the number of total cases since the pandemic began has surpassed 9,000 on the eve of the first doses of vaccines arriving in the capital.
One more person in Ottawa with COVID-19 has died.
OPH's COVID-19 dashboard update on Sunday shows 9,057 total laboratory-confirmed cases of COVID-19 in Ottawa since the first case was confirmed on March 11.
Across the province, 1,677 new cases of COVID-19 have been reported after four straight days of more than 1,800 new cases being reported.
Public Health Ontario also reported 16 new deaths on Sunday and 1,678 new resolved cases.
The province reported 55 new cases in Ottawa and says there have been 9,066 total cases in the city.
OPH says it is aligning its database with the provincial database, which may lead to a discrepancy in the number of new cases reported by OPH compared to Public Health Ontario. On Saturday, Ontario reported 19 new cases of COVID-19 in Ottawa, but OPH reported 48.
OPH says the updated counts by the local public health unit are considered the most up to date.
The death toll from the pandemic now stands at 385 residents of Ottawa.
OTTAWA COVID-19 STATUS: ORANGE-RESTRICT
Ottawa remains in the "Orange-Restrict" level under the provincial reopening framework. Ottawa moved into the restriction level on Nov. 7.
The "Orange-Restrict" level is for areas with a weekly rate of new cases per 100,000 people of between 25 and 39.9, a positivity rate between 1.3 per cent and 2.4 per cent and a reproduction number of 1 to 1.1.
Here is where Ottawa stands on those metrics currently:
- COVID-19 cases per 100,000 (previous seven days): 28.7
- Positivity rate in Ottawa: 1.5 per cent (Dec. 4 to 10)
- Reproduction Number: 1.01 (seven day average)
The "Yellow-Protect" level requires a weekly rate of new cases per 100,000 people of between 10 and 24.9, a positivity rate between 0.5 per cent and 1.2 per cent and a reproduction number of "approximately 1", according to the province.
ACTIVE CASES OF COVID-19 IN OTTAWA
The number of known active cases of COVID-19 in Ottawa rose on Sunday, but remains below 400.
There are 388 people in Ottawa currently dealing with the virus, up from 367 in Saturday's report.
Ottawa Public Health reported 48 more people have seen their cases resolve, bringing the city's number of resolved cases to 8,284.
The number of active cases of COVID-19 is the number of total laboratory-confirmed cases 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
There are currently 24 people in an Ottawa-area hospital with COVID-19 related complications, down from 26 on Saturday
Ottawa Public Health says there are two people are in the intensive care unit with COVID-19, down from three.
Of the people in hospital, one is in their 20s, one is in their 30s (this person is admitted to the ICU), two are in their 40s, one is in their 50s, five are in their 60s, seven are in their 70s, and seven are in their 80s (one in the ICU).
CASES OF COVID-19 BY AGE CATEGORY
Here is a breakdown of all known COVID-19 cases in Ottawa by age category:
- 0-9 years old: Four new cases (634 cases total)
- 10-19 years-old: 11 new cases (1,056 cases total)
- 20-29 years-old: 28 new cases (1,879 cases total)
- 30-39 years-old: Eight new cases (1,233 cases total)
- 40-49 years-old: Eight new cases (1,143 cases total)
- 50-59 years-old: Five new cases (1,050 cases total)
- 60-69-years-old: Four new cases (696 cases total)
- 70-79 years-old: One new case (454 cases total)
- 80-89 years-old: One new case (541 cases total)
- 90+ years old: One new case (371 cases total)
The age of one person with COVID-19 that was previously unknown has been assigned.
TESTING
After breaking a one-day testing record on Friday (announced Saturday), Public Health Ontario said on Sunday that 58,190 COVID-19 tests were performed provincewide on Saturday. There are 51,051 COVID-19 tests still under investigation.
The Ottawa COVID-19 Testing Taskforce does not provide testing updates on weekends.
In its most recent update on Dec. 11, the taskforce said 1,736 swabs were taken at assessment centres in Ottawa on Thursday, Dec. 10 and 4,020 laboratory tests were performed.
The average turnaround from the time the swab is taken at a testing site to the result is 36 hours.
The next update from the taskforce will be delivered Monday, Dec. 14, 2020.
CASES OF COVID-19 AROUND THE REGION
Public Health Ontario's figures for COVID-19 in regions around Ottawa continue to show some spikes.
- Eastern Ontario Health Unit: 23 new cases
- Hastings Prince Edward Public Health: 4 new cases
- Kingston, Frontenac, Lennox & Addington Public Health: 13 new cases
- Leeds, Grenville & Lanark District Health Unit: 12 new cases
- Renfrew County and District Health Unit: 4 new cases
Tomorrow, the Leeds, Grenville & Lanark District Health Unit will move from the "Green-Prevent" level to the "Yellow-Protect" level under Ontario's COVID-19 framework, placing additional restrictions on businesses and gatherings. The Eastern Ontario Health Unit will move from "Yellow-Protect" to "Orange-Restrict."
The Quebec government reported 26 new cases of COVID-19 in the Outaouais region, which includes Gatineau.
INSTITUTIONAL OUTBREAKS
Ottawa Public Health is reporting COVID-19 outbreaks at 20 institutions in Ottawa, including long-term care homes, retirement homes, daycares, hospitals and schools.
One new outbreak was declared at Pleasant Park Public School.
Outbreaks at Carleton Lodge and Garden Terrace long-term care homes, Alta Vista Manor retirement home, Aspire Academy and Mer Bleue and Omer Deslauriers schools have ended.
There are three active community outbreaks, all linked to unidentified workplaces. One new workplace outbreak was added today.
The schools and childcare spaces currently experiencing outbreaks are:
- École élémentaire catholique d'enseignment personnalisé Lamoureux
- École élémentaire catholique Roger-Saint-Denis
- Featherston Drive Public School
- Pleasant Park Public School (NEW)
- St. Catherine School
The long-term care homes, retirement homes, hospitals, and other spaces currently experiencing outbreaks are:
- Association Intégration Sociale d'Ottawa – 21034
- Bridlewood Trails Retirement Home
- Centre d'Accueil Champlain
- Courtyards on Eagleson
- Couvent Mont-Saint-Joseph retirement home
- Extendicare New Orchard Lodge
- Extendicare Starwood
- Forest Hill long-term care home
- Group Home - 22525
- Group Home – 22562
- Maison Accueil-Sagesse
- Manotick Place Retirement Home
- Montfort Hospital - 3C
- St. Louis Residence
- The Ottawa Hospital General Campus - 5E
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).
