Here are the latest local, regional and national headlines on the novel coronavirus (COVID-19) for Thursday, November 5, 2020:
- There have been 79,692 confirmed cases of COVID-19 across Ontario, an increase of 987 (or 1.3 per cent) from the previous day. There are 68,189 people recovered from the virus while 3,182 people have died. The number of Ontario people tested is 5,228,814 of which 33,087 have pending results.
- Canada’s coronavirus case total is 247,703. The country has 10,331 deaths from the virus – one in the Yukon, 273 in British Columbia, 338 in Alberta, 25 in Saskatchewan, 87 in Manitoba, 3,182 in Ontario, 6,350 in Quebec, six in New Brunswick, four in Newfoundland & Labrador and 65 in Nova Scotia.
- The Eastern Ontario Health Unit added 23 cases Wednesday to bring the regional total to 660 confirmed cases. There were six new cases in Cornwall, one in SD&G and 16 in Prescott-Russell. Of all cases, 186 are active and 453 are resolved. There are eight people in hospital, one of them in ICU. Twenty-one people have died. There are six active institutional outbreaks. Testing increased by 405 to 75,687. The breakdown of cases is: Prescott-Russell 466 cases (119 active), SD&G 107 cases (26 active) and Cornwall 87 cases (41 active).
- There were no new cases Wednesday in the Leeds, Grenville and Lanark District Health Unit area – the total stayed at 455 confirmed cases. There are seven active cases and 395 are recovered. The breakdown is: Leeds-Grenville East (one active), Leeds-Grenville Central (zero active), Leeds-Grenville West (one active), Lanark County West (two active) and Lanark County East (one active). The total number of deaths is 53. There are three active institutional outbreaks – one Carleton Place, two in Brockville.
- There’s a positive case at St. Lawrence Secondary School in Cornwall. The school board says “there was no high-risk exposure at the school.” There’s no change in schedules or operations at the school.
- As the province moves to a colour-coded system for restrictions, local Medical Officer of Health Dr. Paul Roumeliotis believes the EOHU area will be in the yellow “protect” level – slightly less restrictive than the orange “restrict” level it’s currently expected to be lumped in with Ottawa, Peel and York. Roumeliotis says there “won’t be too many changes” to rules since they are similar to his current Section 22 order. Roumeliotis is expected to lift that order when the colour-coded restrictions take effect Saturday. “We are confident we are going to be put into yellow,” he said Wednesday.
- An outbreak within Kane House at St. Joseph’s Continuing Care Center in Cornwall was declared over Wednesday. It involved one case in a resident who had been hospitalized.
- There are 11 active cases among eight schools in the Eastern Ontario Health Unit area. The latest case addition is at Rose des Vents school in Cornwall, Roumeliotis said Wednesday.
- In-home wakes in all jurisdictions of Akwesasne are not being allowed for the next 30 days due to the increase in COVID-19 in the region. There are four active cases within the territory as of Tuesday.
- The Saint Regis Mohawk Tribe says people who attended a church service, clothing drive or other event involving the Mohawk Assembly of God may have been exposed to the virus. Those who attended 7 Church Street in Akwesasne or elsewhere involving the church should self-monitor for COVID-19 symptoms.
- A full contact tracing program is starting again in Toronto. Medical Officer of Health Dr. Eileen De Villa says the health unit is getting ready for an ease of restrictions on Nov. 14.
- Some Canadian researchers say there’s little evidence that shows the threat of fines compels Canadians to following COVID-19 rules. The latest situation happened in Quebec, where the province’s deputy premier threatening fines for restaurant owners not following lockdown rules.
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.