Testing sites set up in two Ottawa neighbourhoods hard hit by COVID-19

OTTAWA -- COVID-19 "pop-up" testing sites will be set up in two of the Ottawa neighbourhoods hardest hit by novel coronavirus on Friday.

Residents of Heron Gate can visit the COVID-19 pop-up testing location on Cedarwood Drive between 9 a.m. and 1 p.m.  Heron Gate is located in Alta Vista Ward, which has the highest rate of COVID-19 cases in Ottawa.

River Ward Councillor Riley Brockington says a pop-up COVID-19 testing centre will be set up from 2 p.m. to 6 p.m. at the Heatherington Family Centre. Brockington says "all welcome" for testing.

Ottawa Public Health has worked with the Champlain Region Incident Command and Ottawa Paramedics to expand COVID-19 testing beyond the COVID-19 Assessment Centre at Brewer Arena and the two COVID-19 clinics.

In a statement to CTV News Ottawa's Christina Succi on Thursday, Ottawa Public Health said, "The rate of confirmed cases, sources of infection and socio-demographic characteristics of these clusters are considered when determining recommended sites for mobile testing."

"It is through this surveillance data that OPH and CHIRC identify the need for mobile testing service based on which communities would benefit most from testing in their community."

According to Ottawa Public Health, Alta Vista and River Ward have two of the highest rates of COVID-19 infection in Ottawa.

Alta Vista has 207 cases per 100,000 people, while there are 147 cases per 100,000 people in River Ward.