Newswatch COVID-19 Digest: Monday May 4, 2020

In this diagram from the Ontario government on Monday, April 27, 2020, a three stage approach is outlined on how to restart Ontario's economy to come out of the coronavirus pandemic. (Province of Ontario via Newswatch Group)

Here are the latest local, regional and national headlines on the novel coronavirus (COVID-19) for Monday, May 4, 2020:

  • There have been 17,553 confirmed cases of COVID-19 across Ontario, an increase of 434 cases (or 2.5 per cent) from the previous day. There are 12,005 people recovered from the virus while 1,216 people have died. The number of Ontario people tested is 327,505 of which 9,785 have pending results.
  • Canada’s coronavirus case total is 59,474. The country has 3,682 deaths from the virus – 114 in British Columbia, 95 in Alberta, six in Saskatchewan, six in Manitoba, 1,216 in Ontario, 2,205 in Quebec, three in Newfoundland & Labrador and 37 in Nova Scotia.
  • The Eastern Ontario Health Unit added another two cases in Prescott-Russell on Sunday, bringing the total number of confirmed cases to 98 (includes 20 long term, retirement and lodging home cases). The breakdown is 14 in Cornwall (11 resolved), 20 in SD&G (14 resolved) and 64 in Prescott-Russell (29 resolved). There are three people in hospitals and two of those are in ICU. There have been no deaths. The number of resolved cases is 54. There have been 2,237 tests performed in the EOHU region.
  • Local Medical Officer of Health Dr. Paul Roumeliotis released a statement Sunday follow Cornwall Newswatch’s story Saturday about a COVID-19 outbreak at a Long Sault long term care home. Read his statement by clicking here and our report by clicking here.
  • The Leeds, Grenville and Lanark counties stands at 311 positive coronavirus cases and 40 deaths. The health unit won’t update its statistics until this afternoon (Monday).
  • Some Ontario workplaces will be able to start some resemblance of business, starting today. The province lifted restrictions on garden centers and nurseries for curbside and delivery order, lawn care and landscaping businesses and some essential construction projects. Golf course and marinas can do seasonal preparation but their doors are still shut to the public.
  • Development of a COVID-19 rapid test has been delivered a setback. The test that was approved for trials by the federal government was voluntarily recalled by Spartan Bioscience after Health Canada had some concerns about the testing swab.
  • Prime Minister Justin Trudeau says it’s still too early to draw firm conclusions about U.S. reports that some intelligence officials believe the novel coronavirus was leaked from a lab in China.

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.