Three security guards, two clients at Nicholas Street Physical Distancing Centre test positive for COVID-19

Three security guards from Commissaires Security Guards and two clients at the Nicholas Street Physical Distancing Centre have tested positive for COVID-19.

The news was confirmed in a memo to members of city council Thursday evening from Donna Gray, general manager of community and social services.

The security guards last worked at the Nicholas Street site between February 16 and 22, and are all now in self-isolation.

The two clients residing at the centre are also self-isolating, but are now doing so at the Cobourg Isolation Centre.

The centre, located at 75 Nicholas Street, is a temporary isolation centre for single homeless people that need to self-isolate. 

The Nicholas Centre was declared on outbreak by Ottawa Public Health on February 23. However, because of the outbreaks in city shelters and the urgent need for spaces, Gray said Nicholas Street is now accepting limited new referrals for men and women as staff can cohort new residents in a separate area within the facility.

OPH said it is working with Ottawa Inner City Health and its testing partners to coordinate ongoing surveillance testing on-site and will continue to monitor the situation at Nicholas Street closely.