Here are the latest local, regional and national headlines on the novel coronavirus (COVID-19) for Wednesday, January 6, 2021:
- There have been 197,360 confirmed cases of COVID-19 across Ontario, an increase of 3,128 (or 1.6 per cent) from the previous day. There are 166,790 people recovered from the virus while 4,730 people have died. The number of Ontario people tested is 8,178,105 of which 39,805 have pending results.
- Canada’s coronavirus case total is 618,646. The country has 16,233 deaths from the virus – one in the Yukon, one in Nunavut, 954 in British Columbia, 1,168 in Alberta, 165 in Saskatchewan, 695 in Manitoba, 4,730 in Ontario, 8,441 in Quebec, nine in New Brunswick, four in Newfoundland & Labrador and 65 in Nova Scotia.
- The Eastern Ontario Health Unit added 41 cases Tuesday – 15 in Prescott-Russell, 13 in SD&G and 13 in Cornwall – to bring the total to 1,730. Of those, 489 are active (up 20) and 1,207 are resolved (up 21). There have been 34 deaths to date. Seven people are in hospital There are 15 active institutional outbreaks. Testing increased by 53 to 95,410. The breakdown of cases is: Prescott-Russell 949 cases (213 active), SD&G 357 cases (117 active), Cornwall 363 cases (139 active) and Akwesasne (ON/QC) 61 cases (20 active).
- EOHU Medical Officer of Health Dr. Paul Roumeliotis says the first doses of a COVID-19 vaccine will arrive in the region next week. Read that story by clicking here.
- The following institutions in the EOHU area have declared outbreaks: The inpatient mental health and critical care units at Cornwall Community Hospital, Sandfield Place in Cornwall, Maxville Manor, Prescott-Russell Residence in Hawkesbury, Chateau Glengarry in Alexandria, Glen-Stor-Dun Lodge in Cornwall, Woodland Villa in Long Sault, Quinn House at St. Joseph’s Continuing Care Center in Cornwall, Russell Meadows Retirement Home, Lancaster Long Term Care and Akwesasne Long Term Care (Tsi Ion Kwa Nonh Sote) on Cornwall Island.
Roumeliotis says most of the outbreaks are the result of one or two staff members testing positive – not residents. The exceptions are Akwesasne LTC (nine residents and nine staff, plus this week’s reported death), Lancaster LTC (21 residents, nine staff) and Glen-Stor-Dun Lodge (two residents, three staff).
- The Leeds, Grenville and Lanark District Health Unit added three cases Tuesday, to bring the regional total to 710 confirmed cases. Of those, 41 are active (three fewer than the previous day) and 616 are recovered (six more than the previous day). There have been 53 deaths to date. There are no institutional outbreaks. The community case breakdown is: Lanark County East (two active), Lanark County West (five active), Leeds-Grenville Central (12 active), Leeds-Grenville East (11 active) and Leeds-Grenville West (10 active).
- The province says all long-term care residents and workers in the COVID-19 hot spots of Toronto, Peel, York and Windsor-Essex will be vaccinated by Jan. 21.
- Prime Minister Justin Trudeau says people who vacation overseas during the pandemic will not be eligible for the Canada Recovery Sickness Benefit. The benefit pays $500 a week for two weeks, for a total of $1,000. “No one should be vacationing abroad right now,” Trudeau said.
- Canada’s chief public health officer is concerned over the speed at which the country is accumulating new coronavirus cases. Dr. Theresa Tam says there has been an average increase of 7,500 cases per day over the past week. It took just over five months for Canada to reach its first 100,000 cases – now it’s taking just over two weeks to record 100,000.
- The Canadian military has a coronavirus outbreak in Latvia. The Department of National Defence has not said how many of the troops are positive at Camp Adazi near the capital of Riga.
- One hundred thirty people in the Northwest Territories have received the first dose of the Moderna COVID-19 vaccine. Elders and front line health care workers are the priority for the shot. The territory plans on have three quarters of the adult population vaccinated by the end of March.
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.