March 31 COVID-19 update: Indicators still going up, Ford to announce new restrictions Thursday, Ottawa testing Easter hours

OTTAWA – Ottawa Public Health is reporting indicators of COVID-19 spread in Ottawa, such as local positivity rate and weekly incidence rate, continue on an upward trend that hasn’t slowed the last three weeks.

The weekly COVID-19 incidence rate has grown from 22 in every 100,000 residents on March 10, to 91.6 in every 100,000 on March 31. OPJ says the city’s positivity rate has ballooned from 2.1 per cent to 5.9 per cent in that time.

OPH is reporting 117 new cases of the virus in the community today (March 31), and another death due to COVID-19. Ottawa’s pandemic death toll is at 464.

Hospitalizations due to COVID-19 are unchanged from a day ago, at 39, with 11 patients in intensive care.

OPH is reporting another new community outbreak, bringing the total to 10. The latest one is linked to sports and recreation. Other community outbreaks are stemming from one social event and workplaces such as restaurants, a retail store and a construction company.

There continues to be COVID-19 outbreaks at 25 Ottawa healthcare institutions, eight schools and one childcare centre.

OPH reports 1,233 active cases of the novel coronavirus in the community as of March 31.

There have been 17,294 lab-confirmed cases of COVID-19 in Ottawa, with 15,597 resolved.

OPH says it’s received 172,410 COVID-19 vaccine doses after a shipment of 36,270 Pfizer-BioNTech shots arrived on March 28. It’s administered 77 per cent of that supply.

Ontario is reporting 2,333 new cases of COVID-19 today, including 20 in the Eastern Ontario Health Unit’s region, six in the Leeds, Grenville and Lanark district and none in Renfrew County and district.

Premier to announce new restrictions Thursday

ONTARIO – Ontario Premier Doug Ford says his government will make an announcement tomorrow (April 1) on possible new restrictions aimed at fighting the third wave of COVID-19 during today’s (March 31) media availability.

Ford says residents need to take precautions against the virus and refrain from gathering over the Easter weekend. 

Ford’s comments come after a report shows there are now more COVID-19 patients in Ontario intensive care units than at any other point in the pandemic. 

Critical Care Services Ontario reports 421 hospital patients with COVID-related critical illness as of midnight (March 30). 

Ontario Hospital Association President Anthony Dale shared the report online, noting the new record.

Ontario reported 2,333 new cases of COVID-19 today and 15 more deaths linked to the virus.

Ottawa COVID-19 testing Easter hours

OTTAWA – Ottawa’s COVID-19 testing and assessment centres will be open during the Easter long weekend, but will see changes to their operating hours.

Residents will be able to book an appointment for a COVID-19 test as usual, but sites will have adjusted operating hours between Friday, April 2 and Monday, April 5.

Ottawa’s COVID-19 Testing Taskforce and its partners are trying to further expand Easter hours, so changes may come before the long weekend arrives. As of today (March 31), the following centres will be open over the Easter weekend:

Friday, April 2
Moodie: 8 a.m. – 3:30 p.m.
Ray Friel: 8 a.m. – 4:00 p.m.
Drive-Thru Assessment Centre at City Hall/National Arts Centre: 10 a.m. – 6 p.m.

Saturday, April 3
Moodie: 8 a.m. – 11:30 a.m. (testing only)
CHEO Assessment Centre and Assessment Centre for Adults at Brewer Park Arena: 8:30 a.m. – 7:30 p.m.
Drive-Thru Assessment Centre at City Hall/National Arts Centre: 10 a.m. – 6 p.m.

Sunday, April 4
Moodie: 8 a.m. – 11:30 a.m. (testing only)
CHEO Assessment Centre and Assessment Centre for Adults at Brewer Park Arena: 8:30 a.m. – 7:30 p.m.
Drive-Thru Assessment Centre at City Hall/National Arts Centre: 10 a.m. – 6 p.m.

Monday, April 5
Moodie: 8 a.m. – 3:30 p.m.
Ray Friel: 8 a.m. – 4 p.m.
CHEO Assessment Centre and Assessment Centre for Adults at Brewer Park Arena: 8:30 a.m. – 7:30 p.m.
Centretown Community Health Centre: 9 a.m. – 4 p.m.
Sandy Hill Community Health Centre: 9 a.m. – 3:30 p.m.
Somerset West Community Health Centre: 9 a.m. – 4 p.m.