Here are the latest local, regional and national headlines on the novel coronavirus (COVID-19) for Saturday, May 30, 2020:
- There have been 27,210 confirmed cases of COVID-19 across Ontario, an increase of 344 cases (or 1.3 per cent) from the previous day. There are 20,983 people recovered from the virus while 2,230 people have died. The number of Ontario people tested is 680,687 of which 13,351 have pending results.
- Canada’s coronavirus case total is 89,418. The country has 6,979 deaths from the virus – 164 in British Columbia, 143 in Alberta, 10 in Saskatchewan, seven in Manitoba, 2,230 in Ontario, 4,363 in Quebec, three in Newfoundland & Labrador and 59 in Nova Scotia.
- A person who has been weeks in an Ottawa intensive care unit has been released and is on the regular floor of the hospital. There are still a total of three in hospital with one other person still in ICU. The number of confirmed cases stayed steady Friday at 147 with 11 deaths and 92 recoveries. Local testing jumped by 273 on Friday to 8,378 tests. The breakdown of cases are 15 in Cornwall (15 resolved), 25 in SD&G (20 resolved) and 107 in Prescott-Russell (57 resolved). There are two active nursing home outbreaks.
- The Leeds, Grenville and Lanark District Health Unit added another case Friday to a total of 342 confirmed cases. There was also another death bringing that total to 50. Ninety per cent of COVID-19 cases (264) have recovered.
- Officials with Public Health Ontario outlined their next phase of novel coronavirus testing across Ontario. Testing will concentrate on first responders, more essential workers and those in prison settings. It will also concentrate on hot spot areas, where Ontario Public Health would send a strike team into a business, for example, where there’s increased COVID-19 activity.
- Premier Doug Ford says the government is looking at a regional reopening of the economy. “It’s an option that we’re looking at. Everything is on the table.” Ford says they are getting a better picture of the spread of the disease through more testing and mobile testing units.
- New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo announced Friday that the North Country and Central New York could move to the next phase – phase two – of reopening. That includes St. Lawrence County (home to Massena, Potsdam and Canton) and Franklin County (home to Malone). New York’s phase two includes reopening office-based business, in-store retail shopping, and limited barber and hairdressing services. St. Lawrence County has had 201 positive cases to date, which 183 recovered and two deaths.
- The Children’s Treatment Center will resume in-person counselling with children and parents on Monday, June 8. The center says it will “implement all necessary measures” to provide safety for children, parents and staff members. Executive Director Robert Smith reduced his counselling hours and the center has hired another counsellor, Ashley Dicintio, who previously had a private practice in Cornwall and works at the Ottawa Carleton Detention Center as a women’s social worker.
- A ban on cruise ships entering Canadian waters has been extended until October. The ban was to expire on July 1.
- The federal government has rolled out an additional $650 million for First Nations, Inuit and Metis communities across Canada. It will go to public health, income assistance and shelters for women and children. That’s in addition to the $305 million already promised.
- A health care worker in New Brunswick has been suspended after travelling to Quebec and not self-quarantining after returning, choosing instead to go to work. There’s now an outbreak in the Campbellton area with at least six new cases, including two in ICU. The RCMP is investigating.
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