COVID-19 Ottawa:
Ottawa Public Health is reporting 64 new confirmed COVID-19 cases, and two more deaths related to the virus Wednesday.
4,322 cases have been confirmed in the Capital throughout the pandemic, 685 are active, while 3,350 are resolved. 287 people in Ottawa have died from COVID-19 complications.
COVID-19 Ontario:
There are 625 new cases and four new deaths related to the virus across Ontario.
51,170 cases have been reported in the province during the pandemic, with 43,907 resolved, and 2,848 deaths.
Health Minister Christine Elliott says 62 per cent of the new cases are among people under the age of 40, continuing a recent trend. The latest figures come as Ontario released a prediction that daily counts of COVID-19 could hit 1,000 new cases by the first half of October.
Rapid Tests Approved:
Health Canada has approved a rapid COVID-19 test.
The approval comes just a day after the government announced it had a deal to buy almost eight-million of the tests from Abbott Diagnostics. The point-of-contact nasal swab can deliver results in 15 minutes.
Ottawa Police Service Hires Third Party Investigator:
Ottawa Police are calling in experts to help the force address workplace sexual violence and harassment.
Police Services Chair Diane Deans and Ottawa Police Chief Peter Sloly have announced that an independent, third-party advisory, Janice Rubin and Rubin Thomlinson LLP is being brought in to support ongoing work to address the issue.
In announcing that Thomlinson will be a third party for intake, investigations and resolutions, Chief Sloly stressed there is zero tolerance for sexual violence and harassment with the Police Service.
BC Indian Chiefs Call for Probe Into Youth in Care Death:
A police investigation into the group-home death of a British Columbia teen has wrapped up without criminal charges, but several Indigenous organizations say more must be done.
A statement from Abbotsford police says a group-home care worker reported the 17-year-old missing September 15 and he was found dead three days later. A release from the Union of B.C. Indian Chiefs says the teen was found in the closet of his bedroom at the Aboriginal Agency group home where he was last seen, and had been there the whole time.
Native Women’s Centre Denounces Racism in Quebec Health Care:
The executive director of the Native Women’s Shelter of Montreal says racism against Indigenous people is so common at local hospitals that her organization escorts clients to medical visits.
Nakuset says those escorts regularly record and report racist comments by medical staff. On Monday, Joyce Echaquan, an Atikamekw woman, filmed nurses making derogatory comments toward her as she lay dying in a hospital bed in Joliette, northeast of Montreal.