What you need to know about COVID-19 in Ottawa on Monday, Jan. 4

Recent developments:

• Ottawa is reporting 104 newCOVID-19 cases and one more death.
• Ottawa Public Health now classifies the city as ared zone.
• Students return to virtual class today.
• Google data gives one sample of how Ottawa's behaviour is changing in the pandemic.

What's the latest?

Ottawa Public Health (OPH)reported104 newly confirmedcases of COVID-19 Monday, down from Sunday's record of 184. One more person has died of COVID-19.

The infection rate in Ottawa has risen dramatically since around Christmas, an increase experts attribute to activity before thecurrent lockdown, whichwent into effect Dec. 26.

OPH now classifies the city as a red zone, a more severe outlook thanits previous orange zone designation. The new classification would normally mean tighter restrictions,but because the city remains under a 28-day provincewide shutdown, there's no change from the current rules.

Today is the first day of school after the holidays, but mostwon't be returning to the classroomin both Ontario and Quebec because of holiday lockdowns in each province.

Data from tech giant Google reveals what people in Ottawa were searching for online during the pandemic.

How many cases are there?

In Ottawa, 10,472people havetested positive for COVID-19. There are 789known active cases, 9,290resolved cases and 393deaths linked toCOVID-19.

Public health officials have reported more than 18,700COVID-19 cases across eastern Ontario and western Quebec, including more than 16,300 resolved cases.

Ninety-twopeople have died ofCOVID-19elsewhere in eastern Ontarioand 119people have died in western Quebec.

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

What can I do?

WithOntario'slockdownmeasures now in effect, the Ontariogovernment sayspeople need to stop gathering and moving across the province to avoid even moreCOVID-19 cases, hospitalizations and deaths including inareas with low case counts.

• Ford orders lockdown for all of Ontario starting Boxing Day
• Read the fullOntarioCOVID-19 shutdown plan

People are asked to only leave home when they need to, stay in their health unitandif they leave the province, to isolate for 14 days upon returning.

No indoor public events or indoor social gatherings areallowed, except with members of the same household or one other home for people who live alone.

Outdoor gatherings can't have more than 10 people andshould be distanced.

In-person shoppingis limited to essential businesses. Restaurants and non-essential businesses can offer curbside pickup and delivery.

Schools won't immediately return with in-person classes, except for some post-secondary classes. Child-care centres will be open, but day camps will not.

The plan is for the rules to bein place until Jan. 23, although that could changefor each health unitdepending on the data.

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Inthe red zoneof western Quebec, health officials are also asking residents not to leave home unless it's essential with an exception for people living alone to visit one other home.

Quebec hasshut downnon-essential businessesuntil at leastJan. 11 and hasextended holiday school closures until the same date.

• Experts make the case Quebec's lockdown should be extended

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

Travel from one region to another is discouraged throughout Quebec.

Distancing and isolating

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

Ottawa has seenanew variant of COVID-19first identified in the United Kingdom.

People can be contagious without symptoms.

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

Ontario has abandoned itsconcept of social circles.

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

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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 bothOntarioandQuebec.

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 homeand stay there for 14 days.

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Symptoms and vaccines

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

If you have severe symptoms, call 911.

Mental healthcan also beaffected by the pandemicandresources are available to help.

The first COVID-19 vaccineshavebeen approved by Health Canada.

Doses have beengiven tohealth-care workers in OttawaandatCHSLD Lionel-mondin Gatineau.

In Ontario, it's expected that will expand topriority groups such as older adults and essential workersinApril, with vaccines widely available to the publicin August.

Where to get tested

In eastern Ontario:

Anyone seeking a testshouldbook an appointment.

Ontariorecommends only getting testedif you have symptoms,if you've been told to by your health unit or the province, orif you fit certain other criteria.

People without symptomsbut who are part of the province's targeted testing strategycan make an appointment at select pharmacies. Travellers who need a test have very few local options to pay for one.

Ottawa has10 permanent test sites, with mobile siteswherever demand is particularly high.

TheEastern Ontario Health Unithas sites in Alexandria, Casselman, Cornwall, Hawkesbury, Rockland and Winchester. Hawkesbury's site is closed today and the Alexandria and Casselman sites will temporarily close next week.

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

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

TheLeeds, Grenville and Lanarkhealth unit has permanent sites in Almonte, Brockville,Kemptvilleand Smiths Falls and a mobile test clinicvisitingsmaller communities or people with problems getting to a site.

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 locationsare posted weekly.

In western Quebec:

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

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

They can nowcheck the approximate wait timefor the Saint-Raymond site.

There arerecurring clinics by appointmentin communities such as Maniwaki,Fort-Coulonge and as of this week, Petite-Nation.

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

First Nations, Inuit and Mtis:

Akwesasnehas had more than 50 residents test positive, with several known active cases.

Itscurfew from 11 p.m. to5 a.m. is back and ithasa COVID-19 test siteavailable 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 reasonsis asked to self-isolate for 14 days.

TheMohawks of the Bay of Quintehad its first confirmed casein November andKitigan Zibilogged its first in mid-December.

People inPikwakanagancan book a COVID-19 test by calling 613-625-2259.

Anyone inTyendinagawho'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 localeastern Ontario health unit.
• TheOntario Ministry of Health(in several languages).
• TheCentre intgr de sant et de services sociaux de l'Outaouais.
• ThePublic Health Agency of Canada.