AfroFest attendees may have been exposed to COVID-19: health officials
Festival-goers who attended AfroFest Ottawa Music and Art Festival may have been exposed to COVID-19, Ottawa Public Health warns.
In a statement Friday evening, OPH said it was investigating an individual who tested positive and who attended the festival at Mooney's Bay Park and Beach on Sept. 4 from 4:30 p.m. to 7:30 p.m.
The individual was at the festival during their contagious period, OPH said.
“Ottawa Public Health has assessed the nature of this event and determined that individuals who attended the event are at an increased risk of COVID -19 exposure as there were several opportunities for transmission to occur,” the public health agency said in its advisory.
“Ottawa Public Health is working with the event organizer to obtain contact information for event attendees and event staff. Ottawa Public Health is issuing automated messages to individuals who provided their contact information.”
Those who attended the festival are advised to monitor themselves for symptoms of COVID-19 until Sept. 18.
“f you become symptomatic, you should immediately self-isolate and seek testing, even if you are fully vaccinated,” OPH said.
A list of testing sites in Ottawa is available online at OttawaPublicHealth.ca. Those who attended AfroFest, experience symptoms and present for testing should provide the following testing number: OTT-2021-263.
Those who attended the festival and do not have symptoms should not seek testing. If you have further questions, call Ottawa Public Health to speak with a public health nurse at 613-580-6744.
OPH said it did not typically disclose the location of possible COVID-19 exposures in order to protect privacy, but the information about this event was disclosed when needed to meet public health objectives such as prompt notification of potential contacts and reducing the risk of further transmission.
Earlier this week, the Eastern Ontario Health Unit released a similar warning that those who attended an anti-vaccine mandate protest in front of Cornwall Community Hospital on Sept. 4 may have been exposed to COVID-19.
The health unit recommended that anyone who attended the demonstration should monitor themselves for COVID-19 symptoms and self-isolate and get tested if they displayed symptoms.