Here are the latest local, regional and national headlines on the novel coronavirus (COVID-19) for Wednesday, March 3, 2021:
- There have been 302,805 confirmed cases of COVID-19 across Ontario, an increase of 966 (or 0.3 per cent) from the previous day. There are 285,262 people recovered from the virus while 6,997 people have died. The number of Ontario people tested is 11,110,935 of which 31,074 have pending results.
- Canada’s coronavirus case total is 872,747. The country has 22,045 deaths from the virus – one in the Yukon, one in Nunavut, 1,365 in British Columbia, 1,890 in Alberta, 387 in Saskatchewan, 898 in Manitoba, 6,997 in Ontario, 10,407 in Quebec, 28 in New Brunswick, six in Newfoundland & Labrador and 65 in Nova Scotia.
- The Eastern Ontario Health Unit added 26 cases Tuesday – three in Prescott-Russell, 10 in Cornwall and 13 in Akwesasne – to bring the regional total to 2,830 cases, of which 133 are active (four more than Monday) and 2,629 are resolved (21 more than Monday). There are 68 deaths to date, one more than Monday. Seven people are in hospital (one more than Monday), none in the ICU. There are five active institutional outbreaks (one fewer than Monday). Testing was up 316 to 110,992. The breakdown of cases is: Prescott-Russell 1,215 cases (40 active), SD&G 633 cases (34 active), Cornwall 742 cases (42 active) and Akwesasne (ON/QC) 240 cases (17 active).
- The Leeds, Grenville and Lanark District Health Unit added five cases on Tuesday to bring the regional total to 871 confirmed cases, of which 19 are active (five more than Monday) and 798 are recovered (no change from Monday). There are 54 deaths to date. Three people are in hospital, including one in ICU on a ventilator. There is one active institutional outbreak. The community case breakdown is: Lanark County East 156 cases (nine active), Lanark County West 167 cases (four active), Leeds-Grenville Central 96 cases (one active), Leeds-Grenville East 126 cases (three active) and Leeds-Grenville West 123 cases (one active).
- The LGL District Health Unit says its traced a cluster of 20 cases around Pakenham, Almonte and Carleton Place of the past four days to a social gathering at a local bar. People who visited The Thirsty Moose Pub & Eatery in Carleton Place on Feb. 21, 23, 25 or 26 may have been exposed to COVID-19 and should monitor for coronavirus symptoms. The health unit says those infected have since spread it to business, sports teams, families and child care centers.
- Cases of COVID-19 have been reported at two SD&G elementary schools. The Upper Canada District School Board announced Tuesday night that individuals at Morrisburg Public School and North Stormont Public School in Berwick have tested positive. Contact tracing is underway. Both schools are operating normally.
- Vaccines: Ontario 727,021 (+22,326, updated daily); EOHU 7,750 (last update March 2, +476 from previous update March 1); LGL 4,796 individuals with at least 1 shot (last update March 1, +1,842 from previous update Feb. 22).
- Infection rates across Canada are starting to head up after a month of declining COVID-19 cases. That’s drawing concern from the country’s top doctor, Theresa Tam. She says with new variant cases, no province has been spared.
- The federal government is spending $40 million on arts and culture through the Heritage department by way of a “COVID-safe events fund.” The fund is meant to absorb risk of holding in-person or virtual events when rules suddenly change due to changes in the spread of the virus.
- Canada should receive its first shipment of the AstraZeneca today (Wednesday). Federal Procurement Minister Anita Anand says a half million doses are in the first shipment.
- B.C.’s Medical Officer of Health says scientific evidence shows protection from a single shot of a COVID-19 vaccine is upwards of 90 per cent and lasts for several months. That differs from the drug makers who say protection is about 50 per cent.
- A House of Commons procedure and affairs committee has delivered a clear message to the prime minster. It’s urging Justin Trudeau to not call a federal election during the pandemic unless it’s triggered by a confidence vote against the minority Liberal government.
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