COVID-19 still 'pretty low' in Ottawa: Ottawa Hospital epidemiologist

Epidemiologist’s expert opinion CTV's Stefan Keyes speaks with Dr. Doug Manuel of the Ottawa Hospital Research Institute.

OTTAWA — Despite seven straight days of double-digit increases in COVID-19 cases in Ottawa, an Ottawa Hospital epidemiologist says the number of COVID-19 cases in Ottawa is "still pretty low" heading into the school year.

Ottawa Public Health reported 16 new cases of COVID-19 on Sunday. There are currently 200 active COVID-19 cases in Ottawa.

Appearing on CTV News at Six, anchor Stefan Keyes asked Dr. Doug Manuel of the Ottawa Hospital Research Institute what concerns him about COVID-19 transmission in Ottawa ahead of back to school.

"We're most concerned at this point about how many cases do we have in the community going into the school season. We're still pretty low," said Dr. Manuel during the interview Sunday evening.

"We have fewer cases in Ottawa daily then most of the successful countries that opened schools in the spring. That's the most important feature and we're looking pretty good at this point."

Dr. Manuel admits there are "a lot unknowns" heading into the new school year.

Last week, Medical Officer of Health Dr. Vera Etches told CTV News at Six that Ottawa Public Health is seeing signs of an uptick of COVID-19 cases in Ottawa.

Ottawa Public Health has reported 407 cases of COVID-19 in Ottawa in August. There have been 41 cases involving residents under the age of 10, 70 cases involving residents aged 10 to 19, and 109 cases among residents aged 20 to 29.

With school set to begin in just over a week, CTV News at Six anchor Stefan Keyes asked Dr. Manuel about COVID-19 outbreaks in long-term care homes and retirement homes back in the spring, and the risk of COVID-19 spread in schools this fall.

"It's the crowding and the close spaces and contact that really drives these clusters and outbreaks," said Dr. Manuel.

"So, whenever we have crowding in indoor spaces, that's the recipe and so can we have the schools without crowding, reducing the crowding as much as possible."