Here are the latest local, regional and national headlines on the novel coronavirus (COVID-19) for Friday, October 16, 2020:
- There have been 62,196 confirmed cases of COVID-19 across Ontario, an increase of 783 (or 1.3 per cent) from the previous day. There are 53,291 people recovered from the virus while 3,022 people have died. The number of Ontario people tested is 4,534,334 of which 36,314 have pending results.
- Canada’s coronavirus case total is 191,732. The country has 9,699 deaths from the virus – 250 in British Columbia, 288 in Alberta, 25 in Saskatchewan, 38 in Manitoba, 3,022 in Ontario, 6,005 in Quebec, two in New Brunswick, four in Newfoundland & Labrador and 65 in Nova Scotia.
- Another 18 cases were reported in the Eastern Ontario Health Unit region Thursday, bringing the total to 401 confirmed cases. Of those, 129 are active cases and 260 are resolved. There are two people in hospital. There have been 12 deaths to date and three active institutional outbreaks (Embrun, Hawkesbury and Alexandria). Testing increased by 469 to 68,585. The breakdown of cases is: Prescott-Russell 280 cases (101 active), SD&G 81 cases (21 active) and Cornwall 40 cases (seven active).
- One of the Cornwall cases is in St. Joseph’s Continuing Care Center. In a notice posted on the facility’s website, it says that a person within Kane House has tested positive and that family visitations and admissions are on hold.
- The Leeds, Grenville and Lanark District Health Unit added three more cases on Thursday to bring the regional total to 412 confirmed cases, ten of which are active and 350 recovered. The breakdown is: Leeds-Grenville East (two active), Leeds-Grenville Central (two active), Leeds-Grenville West (two active), Lanark County West (two active) and Lanark County East (two active). There have been 52 deaths to date.
- Mohawk Council of Akwesasne will be closing its non-essential offices on Wednesdays to perform deep cleaning. It will also allow staff to plan while “supporting employee morale.” Around-the-clock buildings, including ambulance and police, will still be open.
- A 53-year-old Ottawa woman is facing charges under the Quarantine Act. She is accused of going back to work at a nursing home, four days after returning to Canada. She should have been self-isolating for two weeks. The maximum penalty is a $1 million fine and three years in prison.
- With a social gathering that caused 40 infections and 243 contacts have to self-isolate, Manitoba’s chief public health officer believes people have lost sight of the fundamental pandemic rules. Manitoba is second to Quebec for active infections per capita.
- Quebec had another 969 new cases and eight more deaths on Thursday.
- The U.S. secretary of state says it’s time to reopen the Canada-U.S. border. Mike Pompeo says his government is in talks with Mexico’s government as well as other countries to lift non-essential travel restrictions. Canadians have been cool to the idea of opening up the border again.
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.