What you need to know about COVID-19 in Ottawa on Tuesday, Sept. 15

Recent developments:

• Four more people have died from COVID-19 in Ottawa.
• There are 52new COVID-19 cases in Ottawa on Tuesday.
• Officials are promising to expand hours at COVID-19 testing centres to deal with 'record' demand.
• Dr. Vera Etches is pleadingwith residentsto keep their social circles tight amid surging COVID-19 numbers.

What's the latest?

Four more people have died from COVID-19 in Ottawa as numbers continue to surge, with 52 newly confirmed cases reported on Tuesday.

Politicians and health officials are concerned with how many people are testing positive for COVID-19 in Ottawa and other Ontario regions such as Toronto and Peel.

All are asking people to wear masks, stay apart from others they don't live with and don't see others if you feel sick.

Ottawa's medical officer of health is pleading with residents to reduce the number of people with whom they're in close contact as new cases of COVID-19 continue to surge.

WATCH | Frustration with the wait for a test:

Residents frustrated with long lines at COVID-19 testing sites

4 years ago

Duration 0:38

People in Ottawa lined up at the citys Brewer Arena assessment centre more than 90 minutes before it opened on Tuesday morning.

Ottawa will offer more testing hours at two sites as wait times balloon and Ontario says all options are on the table in a fall pandemic plan coming this week.

People were lining up at the Brewer Arena more than 90 minutes before it opened this morning. Its city councillor says porta-potties and another tent are being added.

Quebec is also seeing higher case numbers than recent weeksand moving more regions to yellow on its pandemic scale, joining the Outaouais.

At home with one Ottawa family as online learning gets underway

4 years ago

Duration 2:42

Mary Jean Hookimaw, who lives in Vanier, is getting two of her children ready for online learning. The CBCs Stu Mills took an inside look at how theyre preparing.

How many cases are there?

Testing has confirmed 3,387people in Ottawa have had COVID-19.

Of those, 362remain active cases,2,753are considered resolved and 272have died.

Overall, public health officials have reported more than 5,100 people with COVID-19 across eastern Ontario and western Quebec, with more than 4,200 of them 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?

Every local school board or service centre has started bringing students back. All classes should startby Friday.

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More than 2,000 students in Ottawa's Englishschool boards don't have their usualschool busbecause of a shortage of bus drivers.

What its like to be a COVID-19 long-hauler

4 years ago

Duration 1:10

Brianne Quarrell says shes still dealing with the lingering effects of a COVID-19 infection, which she was hospitalized for in March and April.

Ontario is in Stage 3 of its reopening plan, which means more businessesopen and gatherings of up to 50 people indoors and 100 outdoors are now allowed underphysical distancing guidelines.

There won't be any further loosening of rules until at least Oct. 6because of the concerning upward trend in its numbers. Last week, Premier Doug Ford saidhe'd like any stricter rule changes to be done by local officials, not the province.

Kingston, Ont.,has tightened its distancing rules in city parks.

Quebechas similar reopening rules to Ontario, with its cap on physically distanced gatherings in public venues now up to 250 people, allowing smaller festivals.

Distancing and isolating

The novel coronavirus primarily spreads through droplets when an infected person coughs, sneezes, breathes or speaks onto someone or something.

People don't need to have symptoms to be contagious.

That means physical distancing measures such as working from home, meeting others outdoors as much as possible and keeping distance from anyone you don't live with or have in their circle, including when you have a mask on.

Masks are nowmandatory in indoor public settings in all of eastern Ontarioand Quebec, includingtransit services and taxis in some areas.

Quebec has given police the power to fine people ignoring mandatory mask laws.

Masks are also recommended outdoors when you can't stay the proper distance from others.

WATCH | When the bedroom is the new classroom:

Brewer testing site may start taking appointments to cut down on long waits, councillor says

4 years ago

Duration 1:05

Coun. Shawn Menard says administrators are looking at introducing appointment times at the Brewer Arena COVID-19 assessment centre to eliminate long wait times for residents.

Anyone who has travelled recently outside Canadamust go straight home and stay there for 14 days.

In Ontario, that's the same period of self-isolation for anyone with symptoms. When self-isolating, only leave home or see other people if it's critically important, such as to go see a doctor.

Most people with a confirmed COVID-19 case in Quebeccan 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.

Health Canada recommends older adults and people with underlying medical conditions and/or weakened immune systems stay home as much as possible.

• Shutdown of western Quebec seniors residence part of worrying trend

What are the symptoms of COVID-19?

COVID-19can 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 pinkeye. Children candevelop a rash.

WATCH | A warning that COVID-19 doesn't always end after two weeks:

Canadas spike in COVID-19 cases makes hospitals nervous

4 years ago

Duration 1:58

A sudden spike in COVID-19 cases in Ontario is the latest in a national trend of rising infections and the fear is that the rise in cases mean more hospitalizations and even deaths in the weeks to come.

People should not get tested any sooner than five days after potential exposure, since it takes about that long for the virus to grow to be detectable by a test, said Ottawa's medical officer of health Vera Etches in early September.

If you have severe symptoms, call 911.

Where to get tested

In eastern Ontario:

In Ottawa any resident who feels they need a test, even if they are not showing symptoms,can be tested at one of four sites including anew drive-thru testing centre. To get a test at the Brewer Arena assessment centre or the COVID-19 clinics on Moodie Drive or Heron Road, you must show up in person. To get a test at the drive-thru site on Coventry Road, you have to book an appointment online.

The agencies managing testing in Ottawa have promised to extend hours at both Brewer Arenaand Coventry Road as soon as staffing levels permit.

WATCH | What about more testing by appointment in Ottawa?

Inuit in Ottawa can call the Akausivik Inuit Family Health Team at 613-740-0999 for service, including testing, in Inuktitut or English on weekdays.

The University of Ottawa has a test site open weekdays by appointment at its Lees campus for students and staff.

There's also a mobile testing van operated by Inner City Health that mostly serves people experiencing homelessness and some tests done in hospitals.

In the Eastern Ontario Health Unit, there is a drive-thru centre in Casselman and assessment centres in Hawkesbury and Winchester that don't require people to call ahead.

Others in Alexandria, Rockland and Cornwall require an appointment.

In Kingston,the Leon's Centre is hosting the city's test site though Gate 2. There's anothertest site at Queen's University's Mitchell Hall open 5 to 8 p.m. on weekdays.

Napanee's test centre is open daily for people who call ahead.

WATCH | Concerns againabout overwhelming hospitals:

You canarrange a test in Bancroft, Belleville or Trenton by calling the centre and in Picton by texting or calling. Only Belleville and Trenton run seven days a week.

TheLeeds, Grenville and Lanark unit asks you to get tested if you have a symptom or concerns about exposure.

It has a walk-in site in Brockville at the Memorial Centre and testing sites in Smiths Falls and Almonte which require an appointment.

Renfrew County residents should call their family doctor and those without access to a family doctor can call 1-844-727-6404 to register 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 now can get a walk-in test in Gatineau seven days a week at 135 blvd. Saint-Raymond.

There are recurring clinics by appointment in communities such as Gracefield, Val-des-Monts and Fort-Coulonge.

They can call 1-877-644-4545 to make an appointment or if they have other questions.

First Nations:

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.

In early September, it expanded its gathering limit to 50 people. Its schools start bringing students back next week.

Anyone in Tyendinaga who's interested in a test can call 613-967-3603 to talk to a nurse. Its office and well-being centre are now open by appointment.

People in Pikwakanagan can book an appointment for a COVID-19 test by calling 613-625-2259.

Kitigan Zibi's fitness centre and playground park are opening up with restrictions..

For more information

• Ottawa Public Health.
• Your local eastern Ontario health unit.
• The Ontario Ministry of Health (in several languages).
• The Centre intgr de sant et de services sociaux de l'Outaouais.
• The Public Health Agency of Canada.