Here are the latest local, regional and national headlines on the novel coronavirus (COVID-19) for Sunday, May 17, 2020:
- There have been 22,313 confirmed cases of COVID-19 across Ontario, an increase of 391 cases (or 1.8 per cent) from the previous day. There are 17,020 people recovered from the virus while 1,858 people have died. The number of Ontario people tested is 528,609 of which 10,565 have pending results.
- Canada’s coronavirus case total is 75,864. The country has 5,679 deaths from the virus – 141 in British Columbia, 126 in Alberta, six in Saskatchewan, seven in Manitoba, 1,858 in Ontario, 3,483 in Quebec, three in Newfoundland & Labrador and 55 in Nova Scotia.
- Another positive coronavirus case in Prescott-Russell Saturday brings the region’s total to 135 cases in the Eastern Ontario Health Unit area, of which 70 are resolved. The number of deaths remains the same at 10. The breakdown of cases is 15 in Cornwall (14 resolved), 21 in SD&G (17 resolved) and 99 in Prescott-Russell (39 resolved). There are two people in hospital – both in ICU. There have been 3,701 tests performed in the EOHU region, 76 more than the previous day. There are three institutional outbreaks and one outbreak resolved.
- The Eastern Ontario Health Unit will have assessment centers open in Cornwall, Casselman and Hawkesbury for Victoria Day Monday. The health unit recently loosened criteria on testing, allowing anyone exhibiting any symptom of novel coronavirus to be tested.
- The Leeds, Grenville and Lanark District Health Unit stands at 327 cases and 48 deaths. Sixty-four per cent of COVID-19 cases have recovered. The health unit doesn’t update stats on the weekend.
- St. Lawrence College is looking at a mix of virtual teaching and in-person classes for this fall’s semester. Health sciences and “applied component” programs, like labs, would take priority for on-site attendance. Each individual program is still planning for fall course delivery. Under the proposal, only 20-25 per cent of the normal student body would be on campus.
- The federal government is putting $15 million toward helping women entrepreneurs struggling during the pandemic. The money will go to businesses that are part of the Women Entrepreneurship Strategy ecosystem fund.
- Health Canada has approved the first clinical trials for a potential COVID-19 vaccine at the Canadian Center for Vaccinology at Dalhousie University in Halifax.
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