Here are the latest local, regional and national headlines on the novel coronavirus (COVID-19) for Thursday, February 11, 2021:
- There have been 281,566 confirmed cases of COVID-19 across Ontario, an increase of 1,072 (or 0.4 per cent) from the previous day. There are 261,700 people recovered from the virus while 6,596 people have died. The number of Ontario people tested is 10,137,627 of which 41,725 have pending results.
- Canada’s coronavirus case total is 813,982. The country has 21,004 deaths from the virus – one in the Yukon, one in Nunavut, 1,269 in British Columbia, 1,728 in Alberta, 348 in Saskatchewan, 859 in Manitoba, 6,596 in Ontario, 10,112 in Quebec, 21 in New Brunswick, four in Newfoundland & Labrador and 65 in Nova Scotia.
- The Eastern Ontario Health Unit area added 16 cases Wednesday – two in Prescott-Russell, 10 in SD&G, three in Cornwall and one in Akwesasne – to bring the regional total to 2,613. Sixty-three people have died to date. Of all cases, 151 are active (eight fewer than Tuesday) and 2,399 are resolved (24 more than Tuesday). Twenty-four people are in hospital (no change). There are 11 active institutional outbreaks (one fewer than Tuesday). Testing was up 344 to 105,098. The breakdown of cases is: Prescott-Russell 1,165 cases (38 active), SD&G 587 cases (55 active), Cornwall 693 cases (50 active) and Akwesasne (ON/QC) 168 cases (eight active).
- The Leeds, Grenville and Lanark District Health Unit added seven cases on Wednesday to bring the regional total to 837 confirmed. There are 12 active (one fewer than Tuesday) and 772 are recovered (eight more than Tuesday). Fifty-four people have died to date. There are two person in hospital, one more than Tuesday. One person remains in ICU on a ventilator. There is one active institutional outbreak (Rosebridge Manor). The community case breakdown is: Lanark County East 148 cases (zero active), Lanark County West 152 cases (five active), Leeds-Grenville Central 93 cases (three active), Leeds-Grenville East 120 cases (zero active) and Leeds-Grenville West 123 cases (three active).
- Hydro One users will enjoy off-peak rate of 8.5 cents per kilowatt hour, around the clock, until Feb. 22. The government extended the emergency rate relief program that has been in place since Jan. 1. The rate applies to both time-of-use and tiered customers.
- The provincial government has exhausted its entire $13.3 billion contingency fund for COVID-19 relief. In its fiscal update Wednesday, the Ford government says the deficit is not rising because an extra $2.6 billion spent was already included in the contingency fund.
- People in the Niagara region of Ontario are dealing with a vaccination scam. Someone is calling people to book appointments asking for money.
- Newfoundland and Labrador are dealing with a sudden spike in COVID-19 cases. The province set a new record for a single day increase with 53 new cases Wednesday. The last record daily increase was set in March last year. The medical officer of health has ordered the closure of school in the St. John’s metro area for the next few weeks.
- Another Canadian-made vaccine is going through trials. Just over 100 adult volunteers in Halifax received their first dose of the Vido-InterVac vaccine on Wednesday. The next dose is 28 days later. It doesn’t have to be stored at ultra-cold temperatures.
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.