Newswatch COVID-19 Digest: Sunday December 27, 2020

Here are the latest local, regional and national headlines on the novel coronavirus (COVID-19) for Sunday, December 27, 2020:

  • There have been 169,411 confirmed cases of COVID-19 across Ontario, an increase of 2,142 (or 1.3 per cent) from the previous day. There are 145,173 people recovered from the virus while 4,359 people have died. The number of Ontario people tested was not available.
  • Canada’s coronavirus numbers have not been updated since Dec. 23. At that time Canada’s coronavirus case total was 528,354. The country has 14,597 deaths from the virus.
  • New Brunswick is the only Canadian province or territory to update COVID-19 data since Christmas Eve. The Saturday, Dec. 26 update shows the province has 590 cases of which 38 are active. There are 543 people recovered and eight have died since the pandemic began. One person is in hospital in ICU.
  • The Eastern Ontario Health Unit region stands at 1,268 confirmed cases, of which 246 are active and 989 are resolved. The number of deaths is 33. Five people are in hospital, including two in ICU. There are 12 active outbreaks (includes nursing and retirement homes, lodging homes, group homes, schools and daycare). Testing is at 92,030. The breakdown of cases is: Prescott-Russell 759 cases (138 active), SD&G 246 cases (53 active), Cornwall 223 cases (54 active) and Akwesasne (ON/QC) 40 cases (one active). (The health unit doesn’t update statistics on statutory holidays and weekends)
  • The Leeds, Grenville and Lanark District Health Unit stands at 640 confirmed cases, of which 28 are active and 559 are recovered. The number of deaths to date is 53. There are no institutional outbreaks. The community case breakdown is: Leeds-Grenville East (three active), Leeds-Grenville Central (five active), Leeds-Grenville West (seven active), Lanark County West (10 active) and Lanark County East (three active). (New case numbers from the LGL health unit won’t be reported until Monday, Dec. 28)
  • Ontario has confirmed the first two cases in the province of the highly contagious variant of COVID-19, which is sweeping the United Kingdom. Health officials don’t know where the couple from the Durham Region got it, as there is no travel history, high-risk contacts or exposure. A travel ban on flights from the UK is in effect until Jan. 6.
  • The COVID-19 variant has also shown up in Denmark, Belgium, Australia and the Netherlands. Ontario Associate Chief Medical Officer of Health Dr. Barbara Yaffe says with international travel it’s not unexpected for the new variant to show up in Ontario. Yaffe says it further reinforces the need for people to follow health protocols and stay home during the 28 day lockdown, which started Boxing Day.
  • New restrictions take effect in the United Kingdom, Scotland and Northern Ireland. Measures eased for Christmas Day in Wales are back on.
  • The worldwide total number of COVID-19 cases has now topped 80 million. The statistics from Johns Hopkins University also shows the global death count from the virus is 1.75 million.
  • The pandemic meant many shoppers went online for Boxing Day deals, especially with Ontario and Quebec in lockdown. While the surge in online sales has been good for retailers, it’s a double-edged sword. An online sales software company says they are expecting about double the returns of a normal Christmas season, which will cost the industry over $1 billion.

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.