What you need to know about COVID-19 in Ottawa on Tuesday, Oct. 6
Key updates on the coronavirus pandemic in the region
Recent developments:
- City of Ottawa aims to hold its property tax hike at three per cent, despite the pandemic.
- The National Capital Commission is eyeing a reservation system for Gatineau Park chalets.
- Western Quebec again sets a daily record for newly confirmed cases with 66.
- Ottawa has 63 more confirmed COVID-19 cases and three more school outbreaks.
- Ottawa Public Health is now focusing its contact tracing on high-risk spreaders.
What's the latest?
The City of Ottawa still plans to craft a 2021 budget that holds property tax increases at three per cent despite the pandemic, which would mean an increase of $115 on the average tax bill for an urban house assessed at $415,000.
Despite having to cancel its shuttle to view the fall colours this year, the National Capital Commission is looking for ways that will allow more people to enjoy its properties, including setting up a reservation system for Gatineau Park chalets.
Western Quebec is reporting 66 new COVID-19 cases in its daily update, much higher than the region's previously daily high of 39 on Sunday. The entire province has also set a new one-day record.
Ottawa has confirmed 63 new cases today, as well as three more school outbreaks.
The closure of some Ottawa test sites Sunday and Monday to transition to the new appointment-based model could factor into the number of positive tests reported this week.
Contact tracing for COVID-19 in Ottawa will no longer involve directly calling low-priority people who've tested positive as Ottawa Public Health (OPH) triages its tracing load.
People who aren't considered high-risk will get an automated message.
WATCH | Seeing fewer people can help the system:
How many cases are there?
As of the most recent OPH update on Tuesday, 4,853 Ottawa residents have tested positive for COVID-19.
That includes 805 known active cases, 3,753 resolved cases and 295 deaths.
Overall, public health officials have reported more than 7,300 cases of COVID-19 across eastern Ontario and western Quebec, with nearly 5,800 of those cases considered resolved.
COVID-19 has killed 104 people in the region outside Ottawa: 52 people have died in Leeds, Grenville and Lanark counties, 34 in the Outaouais and 18 in other parts of eastern Ontario.
What's open and closed?
Health officials are telling people to see fewer people in person, or stricter rules will force them to.
Ontario is telling people to limit close contact only to those living in their own household. People who live alone may consider having close contact with another household.
Ottawa's medical officer of health issued a dire warning to residents late last week, saying the entire health-care system is on the verge of collapse if individuals don't take personal responsibility to slow the spread of COVID-19.
Vera Etches and other health officials are advising people to celebrate Thanksgiving only with members of their immediate household, stating that gatherings between households are simply too risky, even outside.
Thanksgiving is a time for family, but this year we need to think about keeping our family and community safe. I urge everyone to not extend invitations to visitors from areas of high COVID-19 activity, and screen guests before they visit. <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/COVID19KFLA?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#COVID19KFLA</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Thanksgiving2020?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#Thanksgiving2020</a>
—@MOHKFLAVisits to long-term care homes in Ottawa will be restricted to essential visitors and one caregiver at a time as of tomorrow, a change from the original plans of yesterday.
Kingston, Ont., has also tightened its distancing rules in city parks and increased fines.
In western Quebec, the health unit says residents need to stop gathering until the end of October or, like Montreal and Quebec, it will raise the alert level to the highest one possible and people won't be allowed to see anyone they don't live with.
The region is currently on orange alert, which means private and organized gathering limits, earlier closing hours for restaurants and recommendations against travelling to other regions.
What about schools?
There have been more than 130 schools in the wider Ottawa-Gatineau region with a confirmed case of COVID-19 in a staff or student, most of them in Ottawa.
Few have had outbreaks, which are declared by a health unit in Ontario when there's a reasonable chance someone who has tested positive caught COVID-19 during a school activity.
Many school boards have a list of affected schools:
- Conseil des écoles catholiques du Centre-Est
- Conseil des écoles publiques de l'Est de l'Ontario
- Ottawa-Carleton District School Board
- Ottawa Catholic School Board
Ontario updated its COVID-19 screening protocols for children last week, no longer telling them to isolate and get tested if their only symptom is a runny nose, headache, sore throat, fatigue or diarrhea.
Distancing and isolating
The novel coronavirus primarily spreads through droplets when an infected person coughs, sneezes, breathes or speaks onto someone or something.
People can be contagious without symptoms.
This means people should take precautions like working from home, keeping hands and frequently touched surfaces clean, socializing outdoors as much as possible and maintaining distance from anyone you don't live with — even when you have a mask on.
Masks are mandatory in indoor public settings in Ontario and Quebec and recommended outdoors when people can't stay the proper distance from others.
WATCH | Disruptive anti-maskers banned from Ottawa grocery store:
Ottawa public health officials are ordering anyone with symptoms or who has been identified as a close contact of someone who's tested positive to immediately self-isolate or face a fine of up to $5,000 per day in court.
This had been the case in Kingston until Tuesday, when its medical officer of health said people living with someone waiting for a test result now do not need to self-isolate.
Dr. Kieran Moore also now says someone with COVID-19 has to isolate for at least 10 days from the day they first experience symptoms, down from 14 days.
Health Canada recommends older adults and people with underlying medical conditions and/or weakened immune systems stay home as much as possible.
Anyone who has travelled recently outside Canada must go straight home and stay there for 14 days.
Most people with a confirmed COVID-19 case in Quebec can end their self-isolation after 10 days if they have not had a fever for at least 48 hours and has had no other symptom for at least 24 hours.
What are the symptoms of COVID-19?
COVID-19 can range from a cold-like illness to a severe lung infection, with common symptoms including fever, a cough, vomiting and the loss of taste or smell.
Less common symptoms include chills, headaches and pink eye. Children can develop a rash.
Getting tested any sooner than five days after potential exposure may not be useful since the virus may not yet be detectable, says OPH.
If you have severe symptoms, call 911.
Where to get tested
In eastern Ontario:
The Ontario government recommends only getting tested if you have symptoms, or if you've been told to by your health unit or the province because of your work.
Ontario health officials have said they're trying to add more capacity, as the backlog of tests at the province's labs had blossomed to more than 90,000 as of late last week.
Anyone seeking a test should now book an appointment in advance.
Most of Ottawa's testing happens at one of four permanent sites, with additional mobile sites wherever demand is particularly high.
There is limited walk-up capacity at the Brewer Arena and telephone booking for some sites for people without internet access and priority groups such as health-care workers.
Its Coventry Road clinic will be closed on Monday.
A test clinic is expected to open at the Ray Friel Recreation Complex in Orléans this month.
People without symptoms, but who are part of the province's targeted testing strategy, can make an appointment at select Ottawa pharmacies.
In the Eastern Ontario Health Unit, the drive-thru test centre in Casselman is now closed. People in that area are asked to go to the Limoges drive-thru centre when it reopens tomorrow.
The health unit also has sites in Alexandria, Cornwall, Hawkesbury, Rockland and Winchester.
In Kingston, the city's test site is now at the Beechgrove Complex and online booking isn't available yet. For now, people are asked to go to the complex to make an appointment.
Napanee's test centre is open daily for people who call ahead.
People can arrange a test in Bancroft and Picton by calling the centre or Belleville and Trenton online.
The Leeds, Grenville and Lanark health unit has permanent sites in Almonte, Brockville, Kemptville and Smiths Falls. It also has pop-up sites in Athens today and Gananoque Thursday.
Renfrew County residents should call their family doctor. Those without access to a family doctor can call 1-844-727-6404 for a test or if they have health questions, COVID-19-related or not.
People can also visit the health unit's website to find out where testing clinics will be taking place each week.
In western Quebec:
Outaouais residents can make an appointment in Gatineau seven days a week at 135 blvd. Saint-Raymond or 617 avenue Buckingham.
They can now check the approximate wait time for the Saint-Raymond site.
There are recurring clinics by appointment in communities such as Gracefield, Val-des-Monts and Fort-Coulonge.
They can call 1-877-644-4545 if they have other questions, including if walk-in testing is available nearby.
Tests are strongly recommended for people with symptoms or who have been in contact with someone with symptoms. People without symptoms can also get a test.
WATCH | New rules for Quebec's red zones:
First Nations, Inuit and Métis:
Akwesasne has had 14 confirmed COVID-19 cases, most linked to a gathering on an island in July.
It has a mobile COVID-19 test site available by appointment only.
Anyone returning to the community on the Canadian side of the international border who's been farther than 160 kilometres away — or visited Montreal — for non-essential reasons is asked to self-isolate for 14 days.
Inuit in Ottawa can also call the Akausivik Inuit Family Health Team at 613-740-0999 for service, including testing, in Inuktitut or English on weekdays.
People in Pikwakanagan can book an appointment for a COVID-19 test by calling 613-625-2259.
Anyone in Tyendinaga who's interested in a test can call 613-967-3603 to talk to a nurse.
For more information
- Ottawa Public Health.
- Your local eastern Ontario health unit.
- The Ontario Ministry of Health (in several languages).
- The Centre intégré de santé et de services sociaux de l'Outaouais.
- The Public Health Agency of Canada.
