Here are the latest local, regional and national headlines on the novel coronavirus (COVID-19) for Tuesday, May 5, 2020:
- There have been 17,923 confirmed cases of COVID-19 across Ontario, an increase of 370 cases (or 2.1 per cent) from the previous day. There are 12,505 people recovered from the virus while 1,300 people have died. The number of Ontario people tested is 342,060 of which 6,265 have pending results.
- Canada’s coronavirus case total is 60,772. The country has 3,854 deaths from the virus – 117 in British Columbia, 104 in Alberta, six in Saskatchewan, six in Manitoba, 1,300 in Ontario, 2,280 in Quebec, three in Newfoundland & Labrador and 38 in Nova Scotia.
- The Eastern Ontario Health Unit recorded its first two deaths associated with novel coronavirus. There were also three more cases in Prescott-Russell announced Monday, bringing the total number of confirmed cases to 101. The breakdown is 14 in Cornwall (11 resolved), 20 in SD&G (14 resolved) and 67 in Prescott-Russell (29 resolved). There are three people in hospitals and two of those are in ICU. The number of resolved cases is 54. There have been 2,469 tests performed in the EOHU region, 232 more than Friday.
- The Leeds, Grenville and Lanark counties revised its count from 311 positive coronavirus cases to 303. The health unit says the revision is due to “potential false positives on several people” at a lab during testing in late April. The cases have been removed pending retesting. There have been two more deaths, raising that total to 42. In Leeds-Grenville community cases, there are 18 in the central region (14 recovered), 11 in the west (10 recovered) and six in the east (four recovered).
- Premier Doug Ford commended the increased coronavirus testing Monday. “We’re now exceeding our target of 16,000 tests a day, with many of those tests aimed at protecting our long-term care residents and staff,” he said. Around a month ago, the province set a target of 14,000 by last Wednesday (April 29).
- The days of going sick to work are over. Chief Public Health Officer Dr. Theresa Tam says in a COVID-19 world, we will still have to practice physical distancing, cough etiquette, and staying home at the first sign of symptoms.
- The prime minister has committed $850 million to the World Health Organization to cover the funding gap in battling the coronavirus.
- As workers get ready to return to work, the Ontario SPCA says people have to prepare their pets to reduce separation anxiety. The SPCA says it’s best to keep a consistent schedule for walks, the same as you had before the pandemic, consistent mealtimes and quiet time throughout the day if you’re working from home. The humane society says leave the house for some time so your pets understand that you can leave, and you’ll always come back.
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