OTTAWA —
Good morning. Here is the latest news on COVID-19 and its impact on Ottawa.
Fast Facts:
- Ottawa’s medical officer of health says lockdown measures need to remain in place during an “upturn” in COVID-19 in the community
- Premier Ford admits he knew of Ontario finance minister’s vacation two weeks ago
- Ontario sets new COVID-19 case record on Wednesday; 64 new cases of COVID-19 in Ottawa
- Canada will soon require air travellers to test negative for COVID-19 before arrival in Canada
- Masks mandatory at Ottawa outdoor rinks, but not while skating
COVID-19 by the numbers in Ottawa:
- New cases: 64 new cases on Wednesday
- Total COVID-19 cases: 9,866
- COVID-19 cases per 100,000 (previous seven days): 40.1
- Positivity rate in Ottawa: 2.5 per cent (Dec 23-29)
- Reproduction Number: 1.22 (seven day average)
Testing:
Who should get a test?
Ottawa Public Health says there are four reasons to seek testing for COVID-19:
- You are showing COVID-19 symptoms. OR
- You have been exposed to a confirmed case of the virus, as informed by Ottawa Public Health or exposure notification through the COVID Alert app. OR
- You are a resident or work in a setting that has a COVID-19 outbreak, as identified and informed by Ottawa Public Health. OR
- You are eligible for testing as part of a targeted testing initiative directed by the Ministry of Health or the Ministry of Long-Term Care.
Where to get tested for COVID-19 in Ottawa:
Ottawa’s assessment centres will remain open for the holiday season. However, sites will have adjusted operating hours until Monday, Jan 4.
To book an appointment, visit https://www.ottawapublichealth.ca/en/shared-content/assessment-centres.aspx
The Brewer Ottawa Hospital/CHEO Assessment Centre
- Closed Jan. 1
- Shortened days (8:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m.) for both Ottawa Hospital and CHEO centres on Dec. 31 and Jan. 2 and 3.
- Shortened days (8:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m.) for the Ottawa Hospital site Dec. 31
COVID-19 Drive-thru assessment centre at National Arts Centre
- Closed: Jan. 1
- Shortened Day (8 a.m. to 4 p.m.) Dec.31
The Moodie Care and Testing Centre will be closed: Jan. 2-3
The Heron Care and Testing Centre will be closed: Jan. 1 to 3
The COVID-19 Assessment Centre at McNabb Community Centre will be closed Jan. 1 to 3. There will be shortened hours on Dec. 31.
Symptoms:
Classic Symptoms: fever, new or worsening cough, shortness of breath
Other symptoms: sore throat, difficulty swallow, new loss of taste or smell, nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, abdominal pain, pneumonia, new or unexplained runny nose or nasal congestion
Less common symptoms: unexplained fatigue, muscle aches, headache, delirium, chills, red/inflamed eyes, croup
Ottawa’s top doctor says Ottawa is seeing an “upturn” in COVID-19 activity in the community, and residents should expect the lockdown to continue for the full 28-days unless the numbers improve quickly.
Speaking on CTV News at Six with anchor Patricia Boal, Medical Officer of Health Dr. Vera Etches said COVID-19 indicators show transmission is increasing in Ottawa.
“I think it’s important for the people of Ottawa to know that right now we are on an upturn again, and the wastewater is an early signal – it’s gone up more steeply just recently,” said Dr. Etches.
One week after calling the 28-day lockdown disappointing for Ottawa, Dr. Etches suggested the COVID-19 indicators moving in the “wrong direction” will mean we should “expect the full 28-days of the lockdown.”
Premier Doug Ford admits he should have told finance minister Rod Phillips to return back to Ontario when he found out the minister travelled out of the country.
“He never told anyone he was leaving. He never told me he was leaving. I did call him shortly after he arrived and I talked to him and asked where he was. He said he was away, said is this going to be an issue? My mistake, and I take full responsibility. At that time, I should have said get your backside back into Ontario and I didn’t do that,” Ford said.
In a statement on Tuesday, Phillips said he left on a trip to St. Barts on Dec. 13 after the end of the legislative session.
Sixty-four more Ottawa residents have tested positive for COVID-19, while Ontario set a new record for cases of novel coronavirus across the province.
Ottawa Public Health reported 64 new cases of COVID-19 in Ottawa on Wednesday. There are no new deaths in Ottawa linked to COVID-19.
Since the first case of COVID-19 in Ottawa on March 11, there have been 9,866 laboratory-confirmed cases of COVID-19 in Ottawa, including 392 deaths.
Across Ontario, there are 2,923 cases of COVID-19, a sharp increase over the previous one-day record of 2,553 set on Tuesday.
The federal government plans to require air travellers to test negative for COVID-19 before landing in Canada.
Intergovernmental Affairs Minister Dominic LeBlanc said all passengers on flights entering Canada will soon be required to have a negative PCR test three days before their arrival.
It wasn’t immediately clear when the new requirement will be put in place.
The city of Ottawa is making masks mandatory on and around skating rinks, but the masks won’t be required while people are skating.
Effective 5 p.m. Wednesday, people must wear a mask within a 15 meter distance of the edge of the ice surface, but masks are not mandatory while you are skating.
In a memo to Council, Emergency and Protective Services General Manager Anthony Di Monte said Ottawa Public Health and Ottawa Bylaw have observed and received significant information about large gatherings at outdoor skating rinks since early December.
