April 12 COVID-19 update: Schools remain closed after break, record-breaking numbers, third wave approaching peak, Ottawa pharmacies join fight

OTTAWA – Ontario schools will stay closed indefinitely to in-person learning following the so-called April Break as COVID-19 cases continue to break records in the province.

Premier Doug Ford made the announcement today (April 12) alongside Education Minister Stephen Lecce at Queen’s Park following a cabinet meeting earlier in the day.

The decision was made this weekend after the province posted a record-breaking number of COVID-19 and intensive care admissions.

“We’re moving school online only after the April break,” Ford said. ”We will keep a constant eye on the data on case numbers hospital capacity and ICU admissions to determine when we get kids back in the classrooms. I want nothing more than to be able to open the schools up again as soon as possible. But we all need to work together right now to get the community spread under control.”

The announcement to keep schools closed comes just a day after Lecce issued a letter to parents insisting schools would remain open while the province is under a stay-at-home order.

Lecce changed his tone today while speaking in legislature at Queen’s Park, saying he’s growing increasingly concerned about the sharp rise in infections.

Third wave breaking records in Ottawa

OTTAWA – Ottawa Public Health (OPH) continues to report record-breaking levels of COVID-19 as residents battle through the third wave.

OPH confirmed another 348 new cases of COVID-19 in the city with one new death linked to the novel coronavirus.

The number of local COVID-19 hospitalizations is at 96 today, (April 12), up from 81 on Sunday. The number of patients in intensive care is up to 29 from 26. Acute care bed capacity across all Ottawa hospitals is at 96 per cent, while intensive care units are 77 per cent full and ICU ventilator beds are at 42 per cent capacity.

Ottawa’s weekly COVID-19 incidence rate continues to rise – now up to 173.7 per 100, 000 residents.

Nearly one in 10 people visiting local COVID-19 assessment centres are testing positive for the virus, as OPH says the city’s positivity rate is up to 9.9 per cent. The local positivity rate was at just 2.9 per cent on March 22.

There have now been 20, 073 lab-confirmed cases of COVID-19 in Ottawa since March of last year. In the last week alone OPH has reported 1, 832 new cases of the virus. Since the pandemic began, 476 Ottawans have died because of the novel coronavirus.

OPH says 19 healthcare institutions are dealing with COVID-19 outbreaks, while the number of schools on outbreak status is now up to 17. There are also two childcare centres listed as having COVID-19 outbreaks.

The number of community outbreaks of the novel coronavirus is at 13 in Ottawa, with seven of them linked to restaurants; one stemming from a social event; one from a religious or spiritual organization; and another from sports and recreation.

OPH is reporting 2, 619 active cases of COVID-19 in the community.

The health unit says the city has administered 89 per cent of the 225,250 COVID-19 vaccine doses it’s received to date. OPH’s latest vaccination information shows just 2,100 new AstraZeneca shots arriving in the capital on Sunday after the city got 48, 740 total doses of various vaccines last week.

Ontario is reporting 4,401 new cases of COVID-19, Monday, including 38 in the Eastern Ontario Health Unit’s region, 17 in the Leeds, Grenville and Lanark district and none in Renfrew County.

Canada nears third wave peak

CANADA – Canada is nearing the peak of the third wave of COVID-19 the country’s chief public health officer said yesterday (April 11) as Ontario reported a new single-day record for new infections.

Dr. Theresa Tam described the current rash of nationwide infections as the pandemic’s second wave, though public health officials in several provinces are describing their recent daily case surges as a third wave. 

“With the current acceleration of COVID-19 activity approaching the peak of the second wave, and a concerning rise in the proportion of cases that involve more contagious variants of concern,  strong public health measures and individual precautions must be sustained where COVID-19 is circulating, ” Tam released in a statement today (April 12).

Tam said intensive care admissions across the country increased by 23 per cent over the last seven days compared to the week before, noting the spike is straining the country’s health-care system. She said COVID-19 infections and hospitalizations are increasingly affecting younger people, adding figures show a jump in the number of hospitalizations among those 40 to 59 years old.

“This data also shows an increased number of adults in this age group were admitted to intensive care units (ICU) and received mechanical ventilation in March 2021, ” Tam said.

The percentage of patients in intensive care who were aged 18 to 39 also doubled from January to March, from 7.4 per cent to 15 per cent of the total.

Tam’s statement came as Ontario reported a record 4, 456 cases of COVID-19 in a 24-hour period.

The latest figures showed 21 additional deaths associated with the virus and a sharp rise of new cases in Toronto, which jumped by nearly 400 to 1, 353.

Hospitalization rates in the province have been climbing steadily, prompting the province to order facilities to scale back elective surgeries starting today.

Pharmacy rollout continues to grow

ONTARIO – More than 700 Ontario pharmacies are joining the COVID-19 vaccine rollout as the province races to slow to spread of the virus.

Government officials announced yesterday (April 11) that the move will rapidly expand the availability of the AstraZeneca vaccine to people aged 55 and over this week.

With the new locations, more than 1,400 pharmacies will offer vaccines, with the province expecting to add another 100 by the end of April.

In the Eastern Ontario Health Unit (EOHU), there are three new pharmacies approved to deliver the COVID-19 vaccine in Cornwall and Rockland. 

There are 22 new sites added in the Leeds, Grenville and Lanark Health Unit. That includes pharmacies in Smiths Falls, Perth, Brockville, Carleton Place, Almonte, Merrickville and Kemptville.

In the Ottawa Public Health Unit area there are 79 additional pharmacies now allowed to administer the vaccine.

Earlier today, West Carleton Online had a brief story on the announcement the Carp Pharmasave would be a AstraZeneca vaccine location.

Pharmacy locations in the Ottawa Public Health Unit:

• 1849 MERIVALE RD, NEPEAN, ON, K2G1E3
• 6491 JEANNE D’ARC BLVD, OTTAWA, ON, K1C2R1
• 181 GREENBANK RD, OTTAWA, ON, K2H5V6
• 2515 BANK ST, OTTAWA, ON, K1V8R9
• 1180 WALKLEY RD, OTTAWA, ON, K1V2M5
• 3151 STRANDHERD DR, NEPEAN, ON, K2J5N1
• 1309 CARLING AVE, OTTAWA, ON, K1Z7L3
• 1-2148 CARLING AVE, OTTAWA, ON, K2A1H1
• 700-702 BANK STREET, OTTAWA, ON, K1S3V2
• 1300 STITTSVILLE MAIN STREET, STITTSVILLE, ON, K2S1A3
• 3310 MCCARTHY RD, OTTAWA, ON, K1V9S1
• 760 EAGLESON RD, KANATA, ON, K2M0A7
• STITTSVILLE SHOPPING CENTRE, 1250 MAIN ST UNIT 21, STITTSVILLE, ON, K2S1S9
• 1226 PLACE D’ORLÉANS DR, GLOUCESTER, ON, K1C1L2
• 1-4744 BANK ST, OTTAWA, ON, K1T0K8
• 205-421 RICHMOND ROAD, OTTAWA, ON, K2A4H1
• 778 BANK ST, OTTAWA, ON, K1S3V6
• 3940 INNES RD, ORLEANS, ON, K1W1K9
• 2210 BANK ST, OTTAWA, ON, K1V0Y5
• 1980 OGILVIE RD, OTTAWA, ON, K1J9L3
• 2638 INNES RD, GLOUCESTER, ON, K1B4Z5
• 3651 STRANDHERD DR, NEPEAN, ON, K2J4G8
• 100 MCARTHUR AVE, VANIER, ON, K1L6P9
• 832 MARCH RD, KANATA, ON, K2W0C9
• 106-900 GREENBANK RD, NEPEAN, ON, K2J1S8
• 2210C BANK ST, OTTAWA, ON, K1V1J5
• 6265 PERTH ST, RICHMOND, ON, K0A2Z0
• 1160 BEAVERWOOD ROAD, MANOTICK, ON, K4M1A3
• 300 EAGLESON RD, KANATA, ON, K2M1C9
• 174 BANK ST, OTTAWA, ON, K2P1W6
• 3080 CARLING AVE, OTTAWA, ON, K2B7K2
• 461 DONALD B. MUNRO DRIVE, P.O. BOX 48, CARP, ON, K0A1L0
• 5709 HAZELDEAN RD, STITTSVILLE, ON, K2S0P6
• 1080 BANK STREET, OTTAWA, ON, K1S3X3
• 1582 BANK ST, OTTAWA, ON, K1H7Z5
• 10-100 BAYSHORE DR, OTTAWA, ON, K2B8C1
• 190 RICHMOND RD, OTTAWA, ON, K1Z6W6
• 4048 CARLING AVE, KANATA, ON, K2K1Y1
• 144-1980 OGILVIE RD, GLOUCESTER, ON, K1J9L3
• 7-2430 BANK STREET, OTTAWA, ON, K1V0T7
• 1363B WOODROFFE AVE, NEPEAN, ON, K2G1V7
• 753 MONTREAL RD, OTTAWA, ON, K1K0T1
• 2144 ROBERTSON RD, NEPEAN, ON, K2H5Z1
• 737 GLADSTONE AVE, OTTAWA, ON, K1R6X4
• 450 TERMINAL AV, OTTAWA, ON, K1G0Z3
• 1200 ST LAURENT BLVD, OTTAWA, ON, K1K3B8
• 647 EARL ARMSTRONG RD, GLOUCESTER, ON, K1V2G2
• 2928 BANK ST, OTTAWA, ON, K1T1N6
• 671 RIVER RD, GLOUCESTER, ON, K1V2G2
• 2446 BANK ST, OTTAWA, ON, K1V1A4
• 19-5303 CANOTEK RD, OTTAWA, ON, K1J9M1
• 2277 RIVERSIDE DRIVE, OTTAWA, ON, K1H7X6
• 1B-3500 FALLOWFIELD RD, OTTAWA, ON, K2J4A7
• 1428 WALKLEY ROAD, OTTAWA, ON, K1V6P5
• 0160-110 PLACE D’ORLEANS DR, ORLEANS, ON, K1C2L9
• 3777 STRANDHERD DR, NEPEAN, ON, K2J4B1
• 250 GREENBANK ROAD, OTTAWA, ON, K2H8X4
• 7-2333 CHURCH STREET, NORTH GOWER, ON, K0A2T0
• 6146 PERTH STREET, RICHMOND, ON, K0A2Z0
• 1460 MERIVALE RD, OTTAWA, ON, K2E5P2
• 3QA-1650 QUEENSDALE AVE, OTTAWA, ON, K1T1N8
• 12-4100 STRANDHERD DR, NEPEAN, ON, K2J0V2
• 100-1200 COLONIAL ROAD, NAVAN, ON, K4B1J5
• 2531-A BANK STREET, OTTAWA, ON, K1V8R9
• 743 RIDGEWOOD AVENUE, OTTAWA, ON, K1V6M8
• 1194 KARN PL, OTTAWA, ON, K1H7Z8
• 1935 BANK STREET, OTTAWA, ON, K1V8A3
• 4510 INNES ROAD, OTTAWA, ON, K4A4C5
• C102-240 SPARKS ST, OTTAWA, ON, K1A0G6
• 1883 BANK STREET, OTTAWA, ON, K1V7Z9
• 857A BANK ST, OTTAWA, ON, K1S3W2
• 6150 HAZELDEAN RD, STITTSVILLE, ON, K2S1B9
• 3-224 HUNT CLUB ROAD, OTTAWA, ON, K1V1C1
• 150 KATIMAVIK ROAD, UNIT 46 LEVEL 1, KANATA, ON, K2L2N2
• 102-1645 BANK ST, OTTAWA, ON, K1V7Z1
• 6-4000 BRIDLE PATH DR, GLOUCESTER, ON, K1T2C4
• 160 ELGIN ST, OTTAWA, ON, K2P2C4
• 2706 ALTA VISTA DR, OTTAWA, ON, K1V7T4
• 318 RICHMOND RD, SUITE 100, OTTAWA, ON, K1Z6X6

Pharmacy locations in the Leeds,  Grenville and Lanark Health Unit:

• 2727 COUNTRY RD 43, KEMPTVILLE, ON, K0G1J0
• 2751 HWY 15,  PORTKAND,  ON,  K0G1V0
• 2399 PARKEDALE AVE, BROCKVILLE, ON, K6V3G9
• 57 FOSTER ST, PERTH, ON, K7H1R9
• 25 FERRARA DR, SMITHS FALLS, ON, K7A5K6
• 615 KINGS ST EAST, GANANOQUE, ON, K7G1H4
• 47 LANSDOWNE AVE, CARLETON PLACE, ON, K7C3S9
• 376 OTTAWA ST, ALMONTE, ON, K0A1A0
• 54 BECKWITH ST N, SMITH FALLS, ON, K7A2B5
• 3 CHURCH STREET, WESTPORT, ON, K0G1X0
• 30 PEARL ST WEST, BROCKVILLE, ON, K6V4B5
• 2600 HWY 43 W UNIT 1, KEMPTVILLE, ON, K0G1J0
• 14 MAIN ST, ELGIN, ON, K0G1E0
• 231 KING ST W, PO BOX 1570, PRESCOTT, ON, K0E1T0
• 112 WELLINGTON ST E, MERRICKVILLE, ON, K0G1N0
• 340 COLONNADE DR, KEMPTVILLE, ON, K0G1J0
• 299 LAKE AVE E, CARLETON PLACE, ON, K7C1J3
• 19-20-2600 HWY. 43, KEMPTVILLE, ON, K0G1J0
• 2-207 BROCKVILLE ST, SMITHS FALLS, ON, K7A3Z3
• 2235 PARKEDALE AVENUE, BROCKVILLE, ON, K6V6B2
• 4-106 DRYHAN WAY PO BX 189, SEELEY’S BAY, ON, K0H2N0
• 095-80 DUFFERIN ST, PERTH, ON, K7H3A7

Pharmacy locations in the Eastern Ontario Health Unit: 

• 1236 BROOKDALE AVE, CORNWALL, ON, K6J4P8
• 525 NINTH ST E, CORNWALL, ON, K6H0A3
• 3001 RICHELIUE ST, ROCKLAND, ON, K4K0B5

Pharmacy locations in the Renfrew District Health Unit: 

• 55 ELGIN ST WEST, ARNPRIOR, ON, K7S1N6
• 811 PEMBROKE ST E, PEMBROKE, ON, K8A3M3
• 339 RAGLAN ST SOUTH, RENFREW, ON, K7V1R6
• 95 DEEP RIVER ROAD, DEEP RIVER, ON, K0J1P0
• 215 PEMBROKE ST EAST, PEMBROKE, ON, K8A3J8
• 1100 PEMBROKE ST EAST, PEMBROKE, ON, K8A6Y7
• 680 O’BRIEN RD, RENFREW, ON, K7V3Z4
• 25 CIVIC CENTRE RD, PETAWAWA, ON, K8H0B1
• 386 DANIEL ST S, ARNPRIOR, ON, K7S3G9
• 60 MAIN ST, COBDEN, ON, K0J1K0
• 1011 VICTORIA ST, PETAWAWA, ON, K8H2E2
• 29542 HWY 60, WHITNEY, ON, K0J2M0

The announcement came as Ontario reported 4, 456 new COVID-19 cases on Sunday,  marking a new single-day high for new infections.

The latest figures show 21 additional deaths associated with the coronavirus and a sharp rise of new cases in Toronto,  which jumped by nearly 400 to 1, 353.