"Super-Spreader Events" Are Being Blamed For Ottawa's Spike In COVID-19 Cases

Think twice before going to that party. Ottawa's COVID-19 cases have spiked recently and public health says "super-spreader events" are partially to blame. They also have some new warnings and reminders. 

In a new statement, they say that a lot of the new cases in the city have been linked to indoor social gatherings which they call high-risk activities. 

These become super-spreader events as lots of people can get infected in one place and then each spread it to family or people out in public. 

Ottawa Public Health also says that these kinds of gatherings aren't the only spot where you could catch this virus and they have some other reminders. 

Their first warning is about gathering sizes, which the province has set at 50 people for indoor events and 100 for outdoor. However, public health says these are different than social circles. 

Unlike your social circle, which establishes a group of 10 people who can be within six feet of each other, they say these events with up to 50 or 100 people are meant to include physical distancing and if they're indoors, people need masks too. 

They also remind people that you can only be in one social circle. 

"If you establish your own social circle and just one person in your circle establishes another social circle, this opens transmission to up to 20 people," the statement says. "Imagine if everyone from your social circle did this." 

Their next warning comes after recent crowding in the Byward Market. 

"As bars and restaurants reopen, we need to be cautious of congestion that can lead to the transmission of COVID-19 by not distancing and not using masks outside in crowded areas," they say. 

They recommend wearing a mask anytime its not possible to maintain a reasonable distancing, even if that's outside. 

They also have other recommendations about workplace screening for symptoms to make sure anyone re-opening their business is checking their employees daily and people stay home if they are sick. 

The statement wraps up with some stern warnings. 

Ottawa Public Health says if they go back to a period of wide-spread virus transmission and high demand on testing, "we are at risk of undoing the hard work that has gotten us to Stage 3."

"Ottawa, now is the time to act," they said. 

This comes as Ottawa saw an increase in daily cases of COVID-19 in the past week with numbers back in double digits.