Covid-19 update: Outaouais now in orange zone
Marking only a rise of 16 in 24 hours, the number of Covid-19 cases in the Outaouais since the start of the pandemic reached 12,283 on June 7. According to the Centre intégré de la santé et des services sociaux de l’Outaouais (CISSSO), there were 112 active cases in the region at that time. With 214 deaths in the region so far, it noted that 11,957 people had recovered from the virus. Last week, three people were hospitalized, with one requiring intensive care, and 11 CISSSO employees were actively infected. Over the previous week, CISSSO stated to have administered an average of 500 Covid-19 screening tests per day. CISSSO said that Gatineau’s urban core has accounted for the majority of coronavirus cases in the region at this point with 9,254 cumulative cases and 87 active ones.
The MRC de Papineau has had 1,330 total cases, with six active cases; the MRC de la Vallée-de-la-Gatineau has had 565 with no active cases; the MRC des Collines-de-l’Outaouais has recorded 753 cases with four active ones; and the MRC de Pontiac has seen 366 total cases, with 15 active ones. The origin of 15 cases had yet to be determined.
With the Outaouais now in the orange zone and the curfew over, restaurant patios and dining rooms are allowed to open. Private outdoor gatherings of no more than eight people, and inter-regional travel are also permitted. Stadiums and large indoor halls can host events with a potential maximum capacity of 2,500 people.
On June 11, supervised sports activities in groups of 25 people will be allowed to resume. On June 25, summer camps will be allowed to resume, as will outdoor public events and activities with certain conditions. Restrictions will be lightened on mask wearing during gatherings for people who have been vaccinated twice and on restrictions in stadiums and large indoor facilities. In August, if more than 75 per cent of people aged 12 and up have their two doses, there should be a gradual alleviation of public safety measures.
Details about the provincial government’s safety regulations are available on its website. People wanting to get tested for Covid-19 are encouraged to consult CISSSO’s online self-assessment tool before calling 1-877-644-4545 to set up an appointment within 24 hours. More Covid-19 related information regarding the Outaouais is available on CISSSO’s website.
--Vaccination update
CISSSO says all people aged 12 and over are now eligible to be vaccinated, encouraging people to set up appointments online. Second doses are becoming available in the days to come, by age group. This is earlier than initial appointments were given for the second dose.
