Ottawa PADS shelter in isolation after COVID-19 outbreak

The Public Action to Deliver Shelter facility in Ottawa is handling a COVID-19 outbreak.

Executive Director Carol Alcorn said an individual who arrived at the Ottawa shelter located at 1120 Canal St. two weeks ago tested positive for the virus, and they have had numerous cases since then.

"We are working with the La Salle County Health Department to test everyone several times per week and moving the positives out to another location," Alcorn said. "The shelter has been under isolation for the last two weeks."

Alcorn said those living at PADS cannot go to work or leave the building, and the agency isn't taking new admissions at this time.

"Everything is different," Alcorn said. "I had to hire new people to be here all day because we're 24 hours a shift to reduce coming and going to avoid all this. But it happened."

Alcorn said everyone is safely in isolation and they're working on moving forward, working with the health department to mitigate the virus's spread.

The outbreak has taken place at the Ottawa location only. The Peru PADS shelter is not under isolation. The Ottawa PADS is a 50-bed shelter that provides shelter, meals and other services, such as financial counseling.