Here are the latest local, regional and national headlines on the novel coronavirus (COVID-19) for Sunday, July 19, 2020:
- There have been 37,440 confirmed cases of COVID-19 across Ontario, an increase of 166 (or 0.4 per cent) from the previous day. There are 33,294 people recovered from the virus while 2,748 people have died. The number of Ontario people tested is 1,839,332 of which 24,551 have pending results.
- Canada’s coronavirus case total is 109,999. The country has 8,848 deaths from the virus – 189 in British Columbia, 167 in Alberta, 15 in Saskatchewan, seven in Manitoba, 2,748 in Ontario, 5,654 in Quebec, two in New Brunswick, three in Newfoundland & Labrador and 63 in Nova Scotia.
- The Eastern Ontario Health Unit region stands at 170 confirmed cases with 151 resolved. Two people are in hospital. There have been 11 deaths to date. Testing is 23,059. The breakdown of cases is: Prescott-Russell 115 cases (100 resolved + 11 deaths), SD&G 31 cases (28 resolved) and Cornwall 24 cases (23 resolved). (The health unit doesn’t update data on weekends)
- The Leeds, Grenville and Lanark District Health Unit region stands at 355 cases and 52 deaths. The number of recovered is 302. (The health unit doesn’t update data on weekends)
- Ontario Tourism Minister Lisa MacLeod visited Upper Canada Village in South Dundas Saturday to announce $7.1 million for the St. Lawrence Parks Commission, which includes $2 million for operating Upper Canada Village. MacLeod has been crisscrossing the province announcing funding for the tourism sector, hit hard by COVID-19. MacLeod also stopped in Cornwall to tour the museum and the downtown.
- The St. Regis Mohawk Tribe is narrowing the hours of the curfew. It will now be midnight to 5 a.m. with businesses in the southern portion of Akwesasne required to close one hour before at 11 p.m.
- The federal government has said no to the Toronto Blue Jays playing games in Toronto due to the danger posed to Canadians from players crossing the border for games. It says training camp was a completely different situation. The team had already been given the okay by the City of Toronto and the Ontario government to play at Rogers Center. Team President Mark Shapiro says he accepts the federal government’s decision.
- Quebec is the first province to require mask-wearing in all indoor public spaces. The new rules for anyone 12 years old and older, requires businesses to enforce the rule or the business ends up getting a $400 to $6,000 fine.
- The federal government has ordered 75 million syringes, alcohol swabs and bandages so it’s ready to give Canadians a COVID-19 vaccine, once it’s developed and ready. A vaccine isn’t expected until well into 2021.
- A flood of new coronavirus cases in the U.S. is overwhelming hospitals with some patients being moved into hallways and nurses working longer to keep up with the surge. With ICU’s full, some patients are being put on ventilators right in the ER.
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.