Newswatch COVID-19 Digest: Saturday April 25, 2020

The Eastern Ontario Health Unit office at 1000 Pitt Street in Cornwall, Ont. (Newswatch Group/Bill Kingston, File)

Here are the latest local, regional and national headlines on the novel coronavirus (COVID-19) for Saturday, April 25, 2020:

  • There have been 13,519 confirmed cases of COVID-19 across Ontario, an increase of 640 cases (or 5.0 per cent) from the previous day. There are 7,087 people recovered from the virus while 763 people have died. The number of Ontario people tested is 207,040 of which 5,414 have pending results.
  • Canada’s COVID-19 case total is 43,888. The country has 2,028 COVID-19 related deaths – 98 in British Columbia, 72 in Alberta, four in Saskatchewan, six in Manitoba, 763 in Ontario, 1,340 in Quebec, three in Newfoundland & Labrador and 16 in Nova Scotia.
  • There are 78 confirmed cases in the Eastern Ontario Health Unit region. The breakdown is 14 in Cornwall, 16 in SD&G and 48 in Prescott-Russell. There are three people in hospitals (one fewer than Thursday) and two of those are in ICU. There have been no deaths. The number of resolved cases stands at 36. There have been 1,626 tests performed in the EOHU region, up from 1,489 on Wednesday.
  • Health officials are “floored” about they discovered eight residents at a retirement home in Plantagenet have coronavirus, even though they are not showing any symptoms. There are now 11 cases at the facility in Prescott-Russell. Read that story here.
  • The Leeds, Grenville and Lanark counties added another three coronavirus cases on Friday, bringing the total to 285. The number of deaths stand at 39. Of the community cases in Leeds-Grenville, 19 are in the central section (13 recovered), 11 are in the west (four recovered) and six are in the east (four recovered). The community cases don’t include long term care and retirement home cases.
  • The federal government has launched a rent relief program for small and medium-sized businesses. Local MP Eric Duncan is optimistic about it. Read more here.
  • Cornwall Mayor Bernadette Clement told a Facebook Live audience Thursday night that city council will likely hold a special meeting next Wednesday (April 29). City staff will lay out the “real cost in dollars,” the financial impact of the coronavirus pandemic.
  • The United Counties of SD&G conducted an online survey of local business to get a better idea of the economic impact of the virus. The information will be used by local municipal councils to figure out relief plans.
  • Some upcoming performances at the Upper Canada Playhouse in Morrisburg have been given the shepherd’s hook. The playhouse has cancelled its four-show 2020 summer season and will move those shows to 2021. So far, the fall and Christmas shows haven’t been altered.

Have a story or news release related to COVID-19? Send it along for possible inclusion in a future digest on Cornwall Newswatch. Email editor@cornwallnewswatch.com. Please put “COVID-19 Digest” in the subject line.