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The number of confirmed cases of COVID-19 in Ottawa jumped by 50 on Wednesday, up to 194 cases including three deaths. It’s the largest single-day jump in cases in the city since the pandemic begin.

According to Ottawa Public Health, which now reports daily the local case data available at 4 p.m. the previous day, 18 per cent of the 194 cases have been hospitalized and five per cent are in intensive care. The median age of people who have contracted the virus is 47 years old, compared to a provincial median age of 50.

There are now cases of COVID-19 at five local institutions, said OPH. Dr. Brent Moloughney, associate medical officer of health, said the fifth outbreak is in a group home – the Ottawa-Carleton Association for Persons with Developmental Disabilities. The other four are at Promenade in Orléans, Maplewood Retirement Community, Park Place and Garden Terrace.

In total, five residents and four health-care workers have confirmed positive in those institutions.

Three people have died from the novel coronavirus in the city, including two at the Promenade retirement home.

Moloughney noted the large jump in cases is due to the processing of a backlog of tests. “They reflect cases that have occured some weeks ago,” he said.

The Ottawa Senators also announced Wednesday that four additional members of the organization who travelled to California before the NHL season paused have tested positive for COVID-19.

The Senators received the positive test results for the three players and one staff member after eight people were tested. That brings the total to seven people aboard the club’s Air Canada Jetz charter that arrived back from California that have tested positive for the virus.