What you need to know about COVID-19 in Ottawa on Wednesday, Oct. 7

Recent developments:

What's the latest?

Ottawa Public Health (OPH) is reporting 117 new COVID-19 cases as testing delays continue. Currently, OPH is able to get test results to residents within 48 hours just 15 per cent of the time.

Like Ottawa, western Quebec also recorded its second-highest one-day total of newly confirmed cases on Wednesday with 49.

WATCH LIVE | Quebec premier, health officials to give 3 p.m. ET update:

Outbreaks in Ottawa's long-term care homes are on the rise again despite the lessons learned during the first wave of the COVID-19 pandemic.

WATCH | Daughter says it's been hard to get information:

How many cases are there?

As of the most recent Ottawa Public Health (OPH) update on Wednesday, 4,970 Ottawa residents have tested positive for COVID-19.

That includes 810 known active cases, 3,865 resolved cases and 295 deaths.

Overall, public health officials have reported more than 7,500 cases of COVID-19 across eastern Ontario and western Quebec, with nearly 6,000 of those cases considered resolved.

COVID-19 has killed 104 people in the region outside Ottawa: 52 people have died in Leeds, Grenville and Lanark counties, 34 in the Outaouais and 18 in other parts of eastern Ontario.

What's open and closed?

Health officials are telling people to see fewer people in person, or stricter rules will force them to.

Ontario is telling people to limit close contact only to those living in their own household or one other home if people live alone.

Ottawa's medical officer of health said late last week the entire health-care system is on the verge of collapse and is advising people to celebrate Thanksgiving only with members of their immediate household.

Other areas with different COVID-19 situations may have different advice from their health units.

Visits to long-term care homes in Ottawa are restricted to essential visitors and one caregiver at a time as of today.

People who refuse to wear a mask on OC Transpo buses and trains without a valid reason will get a written warning as part of a two-week blitz starting Friday.

Western Quebec's health authority says residents need to stop gathering until the end of October or, like Montreal and Quebec, people won't be allowed to see anyone they don't live with.

The region is currently on orange alert, which means private and organized gathering limits, earlier closing hours for restaurants and recommendations against travelling to other regions.

What about schools?

There have been more than 150 schools in the wider Ottawa-Gatineau region with a confirmed case of COVID-19:

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.

Ontario updated its COVID-19 school symptom rules last week.

Distancing and isolating

The novel coronavirus primarily spreads through droplets when an infected person coughs, sneezes, breathes or speaks onto someone or something.

People can be contagious without symptoms.

This means people should take precautions like working from home, keeping hands and frequently touched surfaces clean, socializing outdoors as much as possible and maintaining distance from anyone you don't live with — even when you have a mask on.

Masks are mandatory in indoor public settings in Ontario and Quebec and recommended outdoors when people can't stay the proper distance from others.

Anyone with symptoms should self-isolate, so should anyone told to by a public health unit. If Ottawans don't, they face a fine of up to $5,000 per day in court.

Kingston's medical officer of health said people living with someone waiting for a test result now do not need to self-isolate and someone with COVID-19 now has to isolate for at least 10 days from the day they first experience symptoms, down from 14 days.

Most people with a confirmed COVID-19 case in Quebec can end their self-isolation after 10 days under certain conditions.

Health Canada recommends older adults and people with underlying medical conditions and/or weakened immune systems stay home as much as possible.

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

What are the symptoms of COVID-19?

COVID-19 can 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.

Less common symptoms include chills, headaches and pink eye. Children can develop a rash.

Getting tested any sooner than five days after potential exposure may not be useful since the virus may not yet be detectable, says OPH.

If you have severe symptoms, call 911.

Where to get tested

In eastern Ontario:

The Ontario government recommends only getting tested if you have symptoms, or if you've been told to by your health unit or the province because of your work.

Anyone seeking a test there should now book an appointment.

Most of Ottawa's testing happens at four permanent sites, with additional mobile sites wherever demand is particularly high.

There is limited walk-up capacity and telephone booking for some sites for people without internet access and priority groups such as health-care workers.

Its Coventry Road clinic will be closed on Monday.

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

In the Eastern Ontario Health Unit, the Limoges drive-thru centre reopens today but isn't ready to take appointments until Friday.

The health unit also has sites in Alexandria, Cornwall, Hawkesbury, Rockland and Winchester. All are closed on Monday.

In Kingston, the city's test site is now at the Beechgrove Complex and online booking isn't available yet. For now, people are asked to go to the complex to make an appointment.

Napanee's test centre is open daily for people who call ahead.

People can arrange a test in Bancroft and Picton by calling the centre or Belleville and Trenton online.

The Leeds, Grenville and Lanark health unit has permanent sites in Almonte, Brockville, Kemptville and Smiths Falls. It also has a pop-up site in Gananoque Thursday.

Renfrew County residents should call their family doctor. Those without access to a family doctor can call 1-844-727-6404 for a test or if they have health questions, COVID-19-related or not.

People can also visit the health unit's website to find out where testing clinics will be taking place each week.

In western Quebec:

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.

They can call 1-877-644-4545 if they have other questions, including if walk-in testing is available nearby.

Tests are strongly recommended for people with symptoms or who have been in contact with someone with symptoms. People without symptoms can also get a test.

First Nations, Inuit and Métis:

Akwesasne has a mobile 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.

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

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

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

For more information