OTTAWA -- Ottawa Public Health is reporting another jump in new COVID-19 cases and an increase in the per capita rate of infection.

OPH said Saturday 133 more people in Ottawa have tested positive for COVID-19, up from 122 new cases on Friday. That increase boosted the per capita rate in the last seven days to more than 55 cases per 100,000 population. The estimated reproduction number--the number of additional people each person with COVID-19 infects--also increased on Saturday.

Across Ontario, the province reported a record-breaking 3,363 new cases of COVID-19 on Saturday, as well as 2,476 on Friday. The province also reported 95 new deaths linked to COVID-19 in the past 48 hours, with 51 new deaths reported on Friday and 44 new deaths reported on Saturday. 

Public Health Ontario reported 81 new cases of COVID-19 in Ottawa in its report on Saturday.

According to Ottawa Public Health's COVID-19 dashboard, there have been 10,184 total laboratory-confirmed cases of COVID-19 in the city since the first case was confirmed on March 11, 2020. 

No new deaths were reported in Ottawa on Saturday. The city's death toll from the COVID-19 pandemic stands at 392 residents.

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: 55.8 cases
  • Positivity rate in Ottawa: 3.9 per cent (Dec. 23-Dec. 29)
  • Reproduction number: 1.27 (seven day average)

ACTIVE CASES OF COVID-19 IN OTTAWA

The number of people in Ottawa with active cases of COVID-19 is on the rise. 

OPH reported 631 active cases of COVID-19 on Saturday, up from 550 on Friday. A week ago, there were fewer than 400 known active cases in the city.

The number of resolved cases rose by 52 on Saturday to 9,161.

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 with COVID-19 in Ottawa hospitals increased slightly to 12 from 11 on Friday. There are three people in intensive care, down from four.

Of the people in hospital, three are in their 20s, one is in their 50s (this person is in the ICU), two are in their 60s (both of these people are in the ICU), two are in their 70s, three are in their 80s, and one is 90 or older.

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: 13 new cases (698 total cases)
  • 10-19 years-old: 20 new cases (1,217 total cases)
  • 20-29 years-old: 31 new cases (2,128 total cases)
  • 30-39 years-old: 18 new cases (1,405 total cases)
  • 40-49 years-old: 15 new cases (1,305 total cases)
  • 50-59 years-old: 15 new cases (1,193 total cases)
  • 60-69-years-old: 11 new cases (776 total cases)
  • 70-79 years-old: Five new cases (503 total cases)
  • 80-89 years-old: Three new cases (570 total cases)
  • 90+ years old: Two new cases (389 total cases) 

TESTING

Health Minister Christine Elliott said more than 61,000 COVID-19 tests were performed across Ontario on Friday and more than 70,000 were completed on Thursday.

The Ottawa COVID-19 Testing Taskforce does not provide local testing figures on weekends. In their most recent update, the taskforce said 5,012 lab tests were performed on Dec. 30, 2020 and 1,838 swabs were taken at local assessment centres that day.

The next update from the taskforce will be issued on Monday.

COVID-19 CASES AROUND THE REGION

Public Health Ontario is reporting the following for public health units in eastern Ontario:

  • Eastern Ontario Health Unit: 25 new cases on Friday, 53 new cases on Saturday
  • Hastings Prince Edward Public Health: 2 new cases on Friday, 14 new cases on Saturday
  • Kingston, Frontenac, Lennox & Addington Public Health: 5 new cases on Friday and 8 new cases on Saturday
  • Leeds, Grenville & Lanark District Health Unit: 5 new cases on Friday and 12 new cases on Saturday
  • Renfrew County and District Health Unit: 1 new case on Friday and 1 case removed on Saturday.

INSTITUTIONAL OUTBREAKS

Ottawa Public Health is reporting COVID-19 outbreaks at 30 institutions in Ottawa, including long-term care homes, retirement homes, daycares, hospitals and schools.

New outbreaks were declared at Carlingview Manor, Extendicare Starwood, and Royal Ottawa Place long-term care homes.

There are seven open community outbreaks.

Two involve construction workplaces, one involves a social event, one is linked to sports and recreation, one is linked to an office setting, one is linked to a retail setting, and one is linked to a restaurant. 

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. Carlingview Manor (NEW)
  3. Centre D'Accueil Champlain
  4. Courtyards on Eagleson
  5. Couvent Mont St-Joseph 
  6. Extendicare Medex
  7. Extendicare New Orchard Lodge
  8. Extendicare Starwood (NEW)
  9. Extendicare West End Villa
  10. Forest Hill
  11. Garry J. Armstrong long-term care home
  12. Group home – 27332
  13. Group Home – 27498
  14. Group Home 27915
  15. Madonna Care Community
  16. Maison Accueil-Sagesse
  17. Manoir Marochel
  18. Maplewood Retirement Community
  19. Parkway House
  20. Riverpath Retirement Community
  21. Royal Ottawa Place (NEW)
  22. Shelter – 27273
  23. Shelter – 27734
  24. St. Patrick's Home
  25. Villagia in 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).