“The variants are coming, but it’s spring.”
Pierre Lavictoire launched his canoe and went for a paddle in the Rideau River near Clegg Street on the first weekend of spring, Sunday, March 21, 2021. Photo by Ashley Fraser /Postmedia
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It may have been Ottawas first weekend in the COVID-19 red zone, but that didnt stop thousands of residents from spilling outside to enjoy whatever freedoms were still available on a gorgeous spring weekend.
People ditched their winter coats, dug out their bicycles, ran, strolled and chatted in backyards and on restaurant patios. It hit 16 C on Sunday, but the sunshine factor made it feel warmer.
This is getting out of the house, its like a new beginning, said Dennis Fletcher, who was sprawled on a chair Sunday in the driveway at friend Gary Landrys house on Sunnyside Avenue, chatting the afternoon away.
The variants are coming, but its spring, look at the trees, the snow is melting, he said. Its absolutely perfect.
Dennis Fletcher was enjoying the sunshine on Sunday.Photo by Jacquie Miller /Postmedia
And theres more sunshine on the way, with temperatures predicted to reach 17 Monday and Tuesday.
It was a welcome reprieve from the daily drip of COVID-19 bad news.
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On Sunday, Ottawa reported 86 new laboratory-confirmed cases of COVID-19. Three more people died from the virus.
Across the province, there were 1,791 new cases and 18 more deaths.
That brings the seven-day average of new daily cases in the province to 1,538. The number of people testing positive has been climbing steadily as Ontario heads toward a new wave of infections propelled by more contagious virus variants.
Ottawa moved to the red zone in the provinces guidelines for pandemic restrictions on Friday at the request of Medical Officer of Health Dr. Vera Etches because of rising community transmission of the virus.
The red zone brings more restrictions, including a limit on organized public events and social gatherings to five people inside and 25 people outdoors.
However, its not a lockdown.
Restaurant patios are open. Indoor dining is also allowed, although restricted to 50 per cent of the indoor area of a restaurant or up to 50 patrons.
Martin Smith was on the Craft Beer Market restaurant patio Sunday afternoon at Lansdowne Park with daughter Grace, 7, eating pizza and playing a game of Connect-Four.
They both brought their scooters to play at the skateboard park.
Im pretty happy to be sitting outside on a patio on a Sunday afternoon, Smith said. Now that we can sit outside, it makes it a lot better even though we are in the red zone.
Grace Moore-Smith, 7, and dad Martin Smith enjoy lunch on a restaurant patio at Lansdowne Park on Sunday, March 21, 2021.Photo by Jacquie Miller /Postmedia
Well just have to keep our masks on, keep our distance. This is well spread out here. Its very safe.
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Lansdowne was busy, with people at restaurant patios, visiting the Farmers Market and kids in the playground. But the crowds werent so large that people were unable to keep their two-metre distance.
Mike Montenegrino and Kimberly Tosoc joined the lineup for a patio table at Joey Lansdowne restaurant, but gave up when told there was a two-hour wait.
They said they dont feel comfortable eating inside even with the restrictions on the number of patrons. We just feel more comfortable being outside at the moment, said Montenegrino.
Tosoc said they would find a little nook outside to sit in the sun. Its amazing.
Etches has warned that if COVID-19 cases continue to rise, harsher restrictions may be required for a longer duration.
On Monday, several regions switch into new colour zones in the provincial guide to pandemic restrictions.
A couple looks out over the Ottawa River at Bate Island on the first weekend of spring, Sunday, March 21, 2021.Photo by Ashley Fraser /Postmedia
Leeds, Grenville and Lanark vaults from yellow straight to red, bypassing orange, after a spike of COVID-19 cases in the area. On Sunday, that health unit reported 31 new cases.
Kingston, Frontenac and Lennox & Addington moves up from green to yellow. There were 12 new cases reported there on Sunday.
The Eastern Ontario Health Unit was reporting 18 new cases Sunday, while in Renfrew County there were no new cases.
Paddlers dodged the ice on the Rideau River on the first weekend of spring, Sunday, March 21, 2021.Photo by Ashley Fraser /Postmedia
Across Ontario, the largest number of new cases reported Sunday was in Toronto, with 495 people testing positive, followed by Peel with 350 cases, York with 177 cases and Durham with 106 cases.
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There are 760 people in hospital, with 305 of them in the ICU and 186 people on a ventilator.
The province has now reported 328,874 cases of COVID-19 and 7,241 deaths since the pandemic was declared, with 307,403 cases listed as resolved.
As of 6 p.m. on Saturday, 1.5 million doses of vaccine had been administered across the province.
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COVID-19 BY THE NUMBERS
Ontario
1,791: new cases
328,874: total cases
307,403: total resolved cases
18: new deaths
7,241: total deaths
760: in hospital
305: in ICU
3.7 per cent: test positivity rate
1,521,705: doses of vaccine administered
Ottawa
86: new cases
16,107: total cases
736: active cases
14,917: resolved cases
3: new deaths
454: total deaths
19: people in hospital
5: people in ICU
jmiller@postmedia.com
twitter.com/JacquieAMiller
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