Three staff cases now reported at east end Ottawa daycare

OTTAWA — A COVID-19 outbreak declared at an Ottawa daycare has grown, a spokesperson says.

In Ottawa Public Health's COVID-19 dashboard update on Saturday, the health unit said an outbreak was declared at Renée Tassé Daycare.

"One staff case of COVID-19 is associated to the outbreak at Renée Tassé Daycare," an Ottawa Public Health spokesperson said in an email to CTV News.

The outbreak at Renée Tassé comes just days after outbreaks were reported at two local daycares: the Pinecrest Queensway Headstart program on Ahearn Avenue and La Clementine Michel Dupuis daycare.

One child and one staff member at Headstart tested positive, Pinecrest Queensway said, while three staff members at La Clementine are positive, according to a statement from the daycare.

CTV News reached out to the daycare on Saturday but did not hear back.

In a phone call to CTV News Ottawa on Monday, Executive Director of Le CAP Mylène Kosseim said that three staff members are now confirmed positive.

Le CAP oversees the daycare as well as other services in Ottawa.

None has any serious symptoms. All three are self-isolating.

Kosseim said the outbreak is still under investigation by Ottawa Public Health and some tests have yet to come back. Parents were notified about the outbreak and testing was strongly recommended. Since the daycare is connected to La Cité Collegiale, any staff from the college who may have been in the daycare area are also being tested.

The outbreak has forced the facility to close for up to 14 days. Kosseim said they are still seeking clarification from Ottawa Public Health on criteria for reopening, but a full disinfection of the premises will be conducted.

Kosseim said the daycare followed all public health directives, including the use of masks by staff, and cleaning of the facility three times a day. It remains unclear whether the infections spread at the daycare or outside of it, as the affected staff members are known to socialize outside of work as well.

Starting July 2020, a single, symptomatic, laboratory-confirmed case of COVID-19 in a staff member, home child care provider or child is considered a COVID-19 outbreak.

As of Monday, three daycares, two long-term care homes and three retirement homes in Ottawa are currently experiencing outbreaks, according to Ottawa Public Health.

Cases rising in children

Ottawa Public Health data shows COVID-19 case counts are rising in children.

Ottawa Public Health announced 22 laboratory-confirmed cases in children age 0-9 in between July 15 and July 25. There had been just 45 confirmed cases in children up to that point. There were also 42 confirmed cases in the 10-19 age category in that same timeframe, going from 66 to 108.

On Saturday, OPH reported 11 cases in people under the age of 20, with nine of those in kids under 10 years old.