COVID-19 Ottawa:
There are now 1372 confirmed cases of COVID-19 in Ottawa.
That’s an increase of 75 since Ottawa Public Health’s last update on Wednesday. No new deaths have been reported in that time. There have been 76 COVID-19-related deaths in the city.
Meanwhile, Ottawa Public Health is once expanding the list of who is eligible to be tested for COVID-19. The City’s Top Doctor Vera Etches is now encouraging everyone over the age of 60 with symptoms of the virus to seek testing.
Dr. Etches also announced plans to launch public consultations on topics including guidelines for lifting some of the restrictions put in place in response to the pandemic.
Ottawa Public Health and the City of Ottawa announced that they launched a COVID-19 online survey where residents are asked to fill out their thoughts on how OPH and the city have responded to the pandemic. Dr. Etches encourages you to check the website regularly as it will be updated often. You can find the ‘COVID-19 Share Your Thoughts’ survey here.
COVID-19 Ontario:
Ontario’s public health officials announced 421 new COVID-19 cases and 39 more deaths in the province Friday.
There’s now a total of 16,608 COVID-19 cases in Ontario. The total includes 1,121 deaths and 10,825 resolved cases.
Proms/Graduations Cancelled:
Two of the most anticipated events for secondary school students won’t be happening this spring.
The Ottawa Carleton District School Board and Ottawa Catholic District School Board have informed students that proms and graduation ceremonies will be postponed. The hope is to delay them until the fall, depending on what public health guidelines remain in place at that time.
Police Launch Speed-Enforcement Campaign:
Ottawa Police are launching a campaign to ensure our roads and highways don’t turn into speedways during the pandemic.
Operation Overwatch will run for the next three months, during which time officers will put a greater focus on speed-enforcement.
The force handed out 19 tickets for excessive speeding in April, with one motorist caught traveling at 163 km/hour in a 100 km/hour zone, and another clocked at 112 km/hour in a 60 km/hour zone.
Ontario To Allow Some Businesses To Open Monday:
Ontario will allow some businesses to reopen on Monday.
Premier Doug Ford says that some businesses that can comply with safety rules that allow staff and customers to maintain physical distancing will be allowed to reopen.
Many of the businesses are seasonal, including garden centres with curbside pick-ups, lawn care and landscaping companies, and automatic car washes.
Miller Admits More Funds Needed:
Indigenous Services Minister Marc Miller is acknowledging the $15,000,000 in COVID-19 emergency funding earmarked to help organizations that service Indigenous urban populations is “not enough.”
Speaking to a Commons committee Friday, Miller says his department received far more applications than the 94 proposals that have been approved.
He says he is working to secure additional funds to help the vulnerable populations that friendship centres and other urban Indigenous organizations work to support every day.