COVID-19 claims 7 more lives in Ottawa nursing homes

Seven more residents of Ottawa long-term carehomes have died of COVID-19, including six at the MontfortLong-Term Care Centre.

The seventhfatality occurred at the Madonna Care Community inOrlans.

According to thelatest report from Ottawa Public Health (OPH), there are now943confirmed cases of the respiratory illness in the city, up 44 from yesterday's report.

A total of 32 people have died from coronavirus in the city, 21 of them inlong-term care or retirementhomes.

The Ontario government announced Wednesday it's asking all residents and staff in long-term care homes where a COVID-19 outbreak has been declared to undergo testing.

There are currently 36 people are in hospital with the respiratory illness in Ottawa, and 379 have now recovered.

There are nowmore than 1,625 confirmed casesin eastern Ontario and western Quebec.

The deaths of 39people in Leeds, Grenville and Lanark counties, and three more in the wider region, have also been tied to COVID-19.

From what we know, nearly 600people out of that regional total have recovered, but most local health units don't share that data.

Confirmed cases represent only a fraction of the actual numberbecause of limited testing.

Blueprint for easing restrictions

Ottawa's top doctor is urging extreme caution before the city begins relaxing measures put in place to slow the spread of COVID-19.

Dr. Vera Etches made the comments during a virtual city council meeting Wednesday, where she warned that lifting restrictions too early could undo the hard work that's been done to keep the respiratory illness from overwhelming the health-care system.

Etches outlinedseveral examples of developments that shouldhappen first:

• Development ofa reliable antibody testthat can show when someone has had COVID-19 and is therefore likely immune to reinfection.
• Hospitalizations related to COVID-19 need to decline for at least two weeks.
• The health-care system must be be able to quickly detect and deal with clusters of new cases.
• A plan to stop new travel-related cases, which could include further restrictions on movement.
• A comprehensive plan to resume schoolingand other activities without putting people at risk.

WATCH: Why we can't ease up too early

Any loosening of current restrictions would have to follow the guidelines of the province andbe done in conjunction with Gatineau, Que., because of the close proximity between the two cities, Etches said.

Answering a question from a council member, Etches said some of the first things to return could be use of outdoor spaces or bringing in one other person into your "bubble" to spend time with, all while keeping vulnerable people safe.

Etches said Wednesday the city is able to process 1,000 tests a day and wants tokeep expanding who's eligible.