What you need to know about COVID-19 in Ottawa on Thursday, Dec. 17

Recent developments:

• A COVID-19 self-isolation centre will open at anOttawa hotel Monday.
• Ottawa has 52 newCOVID-19 cases and one more death.
• Ontario's hospitalsare calling for lockdownsin hard-hit regions.
• Kitigan Zibi has its first two confirmed COVID-19 cases.

What's the latest?

Ottawa residents who contract COVID-19 and fear infecting their families will now have theoption to self-isolate at a local hotel, thanks to a multi-million dollar grant from the federal government.The location of the hotel, where 107 rooms will be set aside starting Dec. 21, has not been disclosed.

Ottawa has 52 newCOVID-19 cases and one more death. Western Quebec's health authority is reporting 47 more cases.

The Ontario Hospital Association wants regions with 40 COVID-19 cases per 100,000 residents to enter a four-week lockdown. That would affect halfof eastern Ontario's health units, but not Ottawa.

When asked to respond, Ontario Premier Doug Ford said all options are on the table to slow the spread of the virus.

The Algonquin community of Kitigan Zibi near Maniwaki, Que., has its first two confirmed cases of COVID-19, according to Chief Dylan Whiteduck.

How many cases are there?

As of Thursday, 9,221people had tested positive for COVID-19 in Ottawa. There are 379known active cases, 8,444resolved cases and 388deaths linked toCOVID-19.

Public health officials have reported more than 15,900 COVID-19 cases across eastern Ontario and western Quebec, includingmore than14,000 resolved cases.

Ninety-onepeople have died ofCOVID-19elsewhere in eastern Ontario and 96 people have died in western Quebec.

CBC Ottawa is profiling those who've died of COVID-19. If you'd like to share your loved one's story, please get in touch.

What can I do?

Both Ontario and Quebec are telling people tolimit close contact only to those they live with, or one other home if people live alone,to slow the spread of the coronavirus.

Ontario says this will apply through December's holidays.

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Its health officials say they recognize some people are unable or unwilling to spend the holidays alonefor reasons such as their mental health. If that's the case, they have advice on how to take the fewest risks possible.

Health units may have more specific advice for their residents.

Ottawa and the EOHUarein the orange zone of Ontario'sfive-colour pandemic scale, the highest level that allows live music, movie theatres, team sports and organized events up to 50 people inside and 100 outside.

Three other eastern Ontario health units areunder yellow zone restrictions:

• The Leeds, Grenville and Lanark District Health Unit.
• Kingston, Frontenac and Lennox & Addington(KFL&A) Public Health.
• Hastings Prince Edward Public Health.

That means restaurant hours, table limits and rules around capacity fall somewhere between those in place in Ottawa and Renfrew County, which is currently green, the lowest level.

The province says people shouldn't travel to a lower-level region from a higher oneand some lower-level health units want residents tostay put to curb the spread.

In western Quebec, nowconsidered a red zone by thatprovince, health officials are asking residents not to leave home unless it's essential, including for Christmas. There is an exception for people living alone.

Being in the red means no indoor dining atrestaurantsandgyms, cinemas and performing arts venues are all closed.

Quebec will shut downnon-essential businesses between Dec. 25 and Jan. 11 and hasextended holiday school closures until Jan. 11.

• Quebec shutdown prompts concerns about Ottawa Rivermismatchahead of Boxing Day

Travel from one region to another is discouraged throughout Quebec.

What about schools?

There have been more than 210 schools in the wider Ottawa-Gatineau region with a confirmed case of COVID-19:

• Conseil des coles catholiques du Centre-Est
• Conseil des coles publiques de l'Est de l'Ontario
• Ottawa-Carleton District School Board
• Ottawa Catholic School Board

Few have had outbreaks, which are declared by a health unit in Ontario when there's a reasonable chance someone who has tested positive caught COVID-19 during a school activity.

Distancing and isolating

The novel coronavirus primarily spreads through droplets when an infected person coughs, sneezes, breathes or speaks onto someone or something. These droplets can hang in the air.

People can be contagious without symptoms.

This means people should take precautions such as staying home when sick, keeping hands and frequently touched surfaces clean, socializing outdoors as much as possible and maintaining distance from anyone they don't live with even with a mask on.

WATCH | The NCC's expandedwinter recreation plans in Ottawa:

NCC expands trail network as demand for outdoor activities spikes

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Valrie Dufour, senior manager of communications at the NCC, says the agency has expanded its winter trail networks in Ottawa to encourage residents to get outside during the pandemic.

Ontario has abandoned its concept of social circles.

Masks aremandatory in indoor public settings in Ontarioand Quebec and should be wornoutdoors when people can't distance from others. Three-layer non-medical masks with a filterare recommended.

Anyone with COVID-19 symptoms should self-isolate, as should those who've beenordered to do so by their local public health unit. The durationdepends on the circumstances in both Ontario and Quebec.

Health Canada recommends older adults and people with underlying medical conditions and/or weakened immune systems stay home as much as possible and get friends and family to help with errands.

Anyone who has travelled recently outside Canadamust go straight home and stay there for 14 days.

Symptoms and vaccines

COVID-19can range from a cold-like illness to a severe lung infection, with common symptoms including fever, a cough, vomiting and the loss of taste or smell.Children can develop a rash.

If you have severe symptoms, call 911.

Mental health can also be affected by the pandemic and resources are available to help.

Pfizer-BioNTech's COVID-19 vaccine has been approved by Health Canada.

Doses are now being given tohealth-care workers in Ottawaas part of a pilot project. Western Quebec'sfirst COVID-19 vaccines will be administered atCHSLD Lionel-mondin Gatineau next week

While details are scarce between now and then,it's expected the general public can get vaccinated betweenApril andSeptember 2021.

WATCH | Ottawa's plans for vaccines and long-term care homes:

Ottawa preparing strike teams to bring vaccines to long-term care homes

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Anthony Di Monte, Ottawas general manager for emergency and protective services, says the city is still waiting for the approval of the Moderna vaccine, which can be easily transported, but is already preparing strike teams to bring doses to vulnerable people.

Where to get tested

Note that many clinics have different hours around Christmas and New Year's Day, withmore information in the links below.

In eastern Ontario:

Anyone seeking a test shouldbook an appointment.

Ontario recommends only getting tested if you have symptoms,if you've been told to by your health unit or the province, or if you fit certain other criteria. That no longer includes international travellers.

People without symptoms, but who are part of the province's targeted testing strategy,can make an appointment at select pharmacies.

Ottawa hasnine permanent test sites, with mobile siteswherever demand is particularly high.

TheEastern Ontario Health Unit has sites in Alexandria, Casselman, Cornwall, Hawkesbury, Rockland and Winchester.

Kingston's main test site is at theBeechgrove Complex.Another site is in Napanee.

People canarrange a test in Bancroft and Picton by calling the centre or Belleville and Trenton, where online booking is preferred.

The Leeds, Grenville and Lanark health unit has permanent sites in Almonte, Brockville, Kemptville and Smiths Falls and a mobile test clinicvisitingsmaller communities or people with problems getting to a site.

It is holding a test clinic by appointment at the Carleton Place Arena tomorrowmorning.

Renfrew County residents should call their family doctor or 1-844-727-6404 for a test or with questions, COVID-19-related or not. Test clinic locations are posted weekly.

In western Quebec:

Tests are strongly recommended for people with symptoms or who have been in contact with someone with symptoms.

Outaouais residents can make an appointment in Gatineau seven days a week at 135 blvd. Saint-Raymond or 617 avenue Buckingham.

They can now check the approximate wait time for the Saint-Raymond site.

There are recurring clinics by appointment in communities such as Gracefield, Val-des-Monts and Fort-Coulonge.

Call 1-877-644-4545 with questions, including if walk-in testing is available nearby.

First Nations, Inuit and Mtis:

Akwesasnehad most of its knownCOVID-19 cases in November, with the virus still spreading in that community.Its councilis asking residents to avoid unnecessary travel, and its curfew from 11 p.m. to5 a.m. is back.

Akwesasneschools and itsTsi Snaihne Child Care Centreare temporarily closed to in-person learning. Ithas a COVID-19 test site available by appointment only.

Anyone returning to the community on the Canadian side of the international border who's been farther than 160 kilometres away or visited Montreal for non-essential reasons is asked to self-isolate for 14 days.

The Mohawks of the Bay of Quinte had its first confirmed casein November and Kitigan Zibilogged its first in mid-December.

• COVID-19 in Indigenous communities: 2,477 active cases on-reserve

People in Pikwakanagan can book a COVID-19 test by calling 613-625-2259.

Anyone in Tyendinaga who's interested in a test can call 613-967-3603.

Inuit in Ottawa can call the Akausivik Inuit Family Health Team at 613-740-0999 for service, including testing, in Inuktitut or English on weekdays.

For more information

• Ottawa Public Health.
• Your local eastern Ontario health unit.
• The Ontario Ministry of Health (in several languages).
• The Centre intgr de sant et de services sociaux de l'Outaouais.
• The Public Health Agency of Canada.