Ottawa’s top health expert is concerned about rising COVID-19 case counts leading up to the holidays.

According to Ottawa’s daily COVID-19 dashboard, the city has identified over 400 new cases in just seven days. The majority of newly diagnosed cases were linked to close contact with an infected individual.

As of Dec. 8, 87 per cent of Ottawa residents have received at least one dose of one of the approved COVID-19 vaccines, with 82 per cent being fully vaccinated. But evidence shows the new strains of COVID-19, namely Delta, don’t necessarily discriminate.

The rate of infection for vaccinated residents over the age of 12 is a third of that for unvaccinated or partially vaccinated individuals, but vaccinated people still represented 17 per cent of all new infections over the last five weeks.

On Thursday, Ottawa’s Chief of Public Health Dr. Vera Etches urged residents to take immediate action to curb the further spread of COVID-19 and circulating variants of concern.

“This increase in outbreaks with COVID-19 introduced into schools has been explosive this week,” says Etches. “The science table data is also pointing to growing challenges with higher rates of COVID-19 due to the Delta variant currently circulating. And, at the same time, we continue to learn more about the transmissibility and the virulence of the Omicron variant. So the risk is here now, and what we choose to do today will make a difference in the coming weeks and months.”

Over 30 separate outbreaks were detected in Ottawa elementary schools during the month of November. In the week leading up to Dec. 8, children aged zero to nine years old accounted for nearly a quarter of all newly diagnosed cases. The most recent school outbreak was declared on Dec. 5 at Featherstone Dr. Elementary School in Alta Vista.

Etches stressed that Ottawa is still in a precarious state. She warned that if the infection rate continues to rise, restrictions may be reintroduced, including school closures and imposing a limit on personal gatherings.

“I'm worried that if this trend continues, we will see an increase in social disruptions,” says Etches. “Too many people will have to be isolating for the holidays, to prevent transmission of COVID to their loved ones.”

As of Oct. 25, Ottawa’s case counts were low enough to ease capacity restrictions for some recreational and cultural activities with proof of vaccination. Some health experts warned it may have been too early for such measures, as case counts began to rise again in the weeks following the decision.

Etches is calling for all Ottawa residents to maintain social distance and limit social gatherings leading up to the holidays, as well as to limit certain activities.

“It's particularly indoor activities where it involves individuals who are not yet fully vaccinated and where masks are not being worn,” says Etches. “These actions are necessary to help prevent the spread of the virus, keep kids in school and reduce the risk to our health and social activities that we have been able to enjoy once again.”

Etches added that although there is reason for concern, Ottawa is still on the right track. She cited high vaccination rates and the introduction of a kids’ vaccine as reasons to celebrate, but cautioned that there is still much work to be done.

“There's still a lot of capacity for children's immunization,” says Etches. “So please book your child's appointment today. Or simply drop in to one of the school based clinics that we’re running in neighborhoods across the city. The time to protect your children with vaccination is now.”

The rate of infection among children is expected to keep growing, according to Etches.

Currently, Delta is the dominant strain of COVID-19 in Ottawa, with almost 400 cases recorded to date. Omicron case counts remain low in Ottawa.

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