What you need to know about COVID-19 in Ottawa on Wednesday, March 18

Recent developments:

• Ottawa reports 14th confirmed case, a man in his 20s who was in U.S.
• 1st confirmed case in the Outaouais.
• 2nd case reported inPrescott-Russell.
• Ontario Telehealthnot working; COVID-19 questions can go to local health units.
• Federal governmentunveiling COVID-19 aid package worth up to$82B.
• Ottawa council to vote next week on extending the city property tax deadline.

What Ottawans should know

Ottawa Public Health is advising residents to exercise social distancing as much as possible. This means if you can, you should work from home.

If you've recently leftthe country or have been in close contact with someone who has travelled, you should self-isolate for 14 days.

People should also self-isolate if they feel sick until 24 hours after symptoms are gone.

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Ontario Premier Doug Ford declared a state of emergencyMarch 17, banning organized public events larger than 50 people and closing daycares, recreation centres and eat-in restaurants for the rest of the month.

Quebec put similar measures in place on Sunday, March 15.

Grocery stores, pharmacies and take-out and drive-thru food businesses will stay open but many stores,including Hudson's Bay andChapters, are temporarily closing, leaving workers uncertain about how they'll make ends meet.

Some grocery stores and pharmaciesare opening early for more vulnerable customers including the elderly.

The federal government announced Wednesday both a $82 billion aid package and that the Canada/U.S. border has been closed to non-essential travel.

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A number of new closures in Ottawa-Gatineau,including many municipal facilities,wentinto effect March 16.

Public transit is still running, but with some changes.

Ottawa residents needing informationcan still call 311 and all essential servicessuch asgarbage and recycling collection, andbylaw some services will continue.

Ottawa and now Gatineau have suspended parking enforcement on residential streets.

Ottawa will vote next week on deferring city property taxes for those who'll be financially hit by COVID-19.

Hydro Ottawa won't disconnect anyone'spower until the end of July and is suspending "account collection actions."

The University of Ottawa is closing its residences on Sunday, March 22, to students unless they're inexceptional circumstances, such as some international students.

Carleton and Algonquin College are requesting students move out by that date, while Queen's is asking students to apply if they want to stay in residence.

Spread of COVID-19 in Ottawa

Fourteen people in Ottawahave now tested positive for COVID-19, includingSophie Grgoire Trudeau,a City of Ottawa employee at 100 Constellation Dr., a Health Canada employee at Tunney's Pastureandthree employees of tech company Ciena in Kanata.

It's not yet clear whether anunidentifiedOttawa Senators player with mild symptoms the team announced late Tuesday nightis among that number.

One Ottawa patient,a person in their 60s,is in hospital.

All confirmed cases are linked to travel.

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In a Tuesday news conference conducted by telephone, Dr. Vera Etches, Ottawas chief medical officer of health, said one person is in hospital after being diagnosed with COVID-19.

Ottawa's medical officer of health Vera Etches said SundayCOVID-19 is likely spreading in the community, and advised people to limit "non-essential trips" from their homes and avoid crowded areas.

There are a total of 28cases in eastern Ontario nine separated from the public at CFB Trenton.

As of Wednesday afternoon, Quebec had 94confirmed cases, Ontario had 212 fiveare no longer considered contagious and 645confirmed cases nationwide.

Nine deaths in Canada have been linked to COVID-19:sevenin B.C., one in Quebecand one in Barrie,Ont.

What are the symptoms of COVID-19?

Symptoms of COVID-19 range from a very mild, cold-like illness to a severe lung infection. The most common symptoms include fever, fatigueand a dry cough.

Anyone who has difficulty breathing or shortness of breath, persistent pain or pressure in the chest, confusion or inability to wake up and bluish lips or face should go to the emergency room.

• Do I have COVID-19, the flu or a cold?

Older people, those with compromised immune systemsand those with underlying medical problems such as high blood pressure, heart problems or diabetesare more likely to develop serious illness.

The coronavirusprimarily spreads through droplets when an infected person coughs or sneezes.

The virus can also spread through close, prolonged contact, like touching or handshaking, andit can spread from person to person via surfaces like door handles, mobile phones, tables and light switches.

That's why washing hands thoroughlyand keeping surfaces clean, along with social distancing, can help stop its spread.

Important links and contacts

Anyone in Ottawa who has a new or worsening cough or feverand hastravelled outside Canada, orhas been in contact with a confirmed case, should go to the COVID-19 screening centre at the Brewer Arena.

If you don't have symptoms, you won't be tested and should self-isolate for 14 days.

The centre is open from 9 a.m. to 8 p.m. daily at151 Brewer Way, off Bronson Avenue near Carleton University. It's unique because you don't have to call ahead.

It's meant to divert non-emergency cases away from hospitals,

People with mild symptoms who do not meet these criteria should self-isolate until 24 hours after their symptoms are gone.

People with severe symptoms should call 911.

In eastern Ontario outside Ottawa:

There is also an assessment centre in Kingston, which reported its first three cases March 17, at the Hotel Dieu Hospital at 166 Brock St., open 1 to 8 p.m.

Renfrew County is providing home testing under some circumstances.

The province advises people experiencing symptoms to calltheir local health unit.

Telehealth, normally at1-866-797-0000, is havingtechnical problems.

The public health unitin the Belleville area isasking people only call it at 613-966-5500if they've checked thewebsite and still have questions.

Kingston's public health unit says check its website and call it (since Telehealth is not working)with remaining questions.

• 3 new cases of COVID-19 in Kingston, Ont., area

Renfrew County's unit says people shouldonly call 613-735-8654 ext.577 if they have symptoms and have returned to Canada within 14 days. The same advice goes for Leeds, Grenville and Lanark's unit at 613-345-5685.

The Mohawk community of Akwesasne, near Cornwall, has declared a state of emergency to prepare for possible cases and is asking for a screening centre.

The Mohawks of the Bay of Quinte near Belleville have also declared a state of emergency and are asking residents to self-isolate and to avoid all unnecessary travel to other communities.

The Algonquin communities Kitigan Zibi and Pikwakanaganhave scaled back non-essential services and are asking residents to follow general public health advice.

In western Quebec:

Gatineau'sdowntown assessment locationat 135 Blvd. Saint-Raymond can do 56 tests a day and the test results take about 24 hours.

Anyone who's left the country should self-isolate for 14 days and call the province's toll-free line at 1-877-644-4545 if they have a cough or fever.

Anyone else who is sick should avoid direct contact with vulnerable people and practise social distancing.

If your symptoms require a trip to the emergency room, call ahead to that number if your condition allows to let them know your travel history.

For more information, visit:

• Ottawa Public Health,
• your localeastern Ontario health unit,
• the Ontario Ministry of Health(in several languages), including theirself-assessment tool.
• the Public Health Agency of Canada.
• the Centre intgr de sant et de services sociaux de l'Outaouais(in French).