Newswatch COVID-19 Digest: Wednesday March 10, 2021

Here are the latest local, regional and national headlines on the novel coronavirus (COVID-19) for Wednesday, March 10, 2021:

  • There have been 311,112 confirmed cases of COVID-19 across Ontario, an increase of 1,185 (or 0.4 per cent) from the previous day. There are 292,806 people recovered from the virus while 7,083 people have died. The number of Ontario people tested is 11,469,681 of which 29,845 have pending results.
  • Canada’s coronavirus case total is 893,518. The country has 22,304 deaths from the virus – one in the Yukon, one in Nunavut, 1,393 in British Columbia, 1,926 in Alberta, 400 in Saskatchewan, 907 in Manitoba, 7,083 in Ontario, 10,493 in Quebec, 29 in New Brunswick, six in Newfoundland & Labrador and 65 in Nova Scotia.
  • The Eastern Ontario Health Unit area added 16 cases on Tuesday – four in Prescott-Russell, five in SD&G, three in Cornwall and four in Akwesasne – to bring the regional total to 2,913 cases, of which 166 are active (12 fewer than Monday) and 2,679 are resolved (41 more than Monday). There are 68 deaths to date. Seven people are in hospital (two more than Monday) and none in the ICU (no change). There are eight active institutional outbreaks (no change). Testing was up 298 to 112,817. The breakdown of cases is: Prescott-Russell 1,237 cases (48 active), SD&G 658 cases (45 active), Cornwall 773 cases (65 active) and Akwesasne (ON/QC) 245 cases (eight active).
  • The Leeds, Grenville and Lanark District Health Unit added seven cases on Tuesday to bring the regional total to 931 confirmed cases, of which 57 are active (four more than Monday) and 820 are recovered (three more than Monday). There are 54 deaths to date. No one is in hospital (down two from Monday). There is one active institutional outbreak (Perth Community Care). The community case breakdown is: Lanark County East 198 cases (40 active), Lanark County West 176 cases (eight active), Leeds-Grenville Central 99 cases (three active), Leeds-Grenville East 129 cases (three active) and Leeds-Grenville West 123 cases (zero active).
  • Vaccines: Ontario 943,533 (+31,047, updated daily); EOHU 12,533 (last update March 9, +2,916 from previous update March 5); LGL 6,725 individuals with at least 1 shot (last update March 8, +1,929 from previous update March 1).
  • At least two more individuals at Carleton Place High School have tested positive for the virus. There are five active places at CPHS, both the LGL District Health Unit and the Upper Canada District School Board confirmed. Four of the five cases have been linked to community spread – only one case transmitted within the school. There has not been an outbreak declaration. The school is operating normally.
  • The UCDSB says its still short staffed due to the fallout from the pandemic. The school board is hiring teachers for long-term occasional work and bringing back retired employees. It considers the shortage “short-term.”
  • The Saint Regis Mohawk Tribe reported no new cases on Tuesday and 16 active cases in the territory. There is one person in hospital and 31 in isolation or quarantine. Three people have died during the pandemic.
  • Across the border in St. Lawrence County (which includes Massena, Potsdam and Canton) there were 14 more cases to bring the county total to 6,407. There were 91 fewer active cases, bringing the total to 274. The areas with the most active cases are Ogdensburg (79), Massena (42) and Gouverneur (33). One more person was in hospital, for a total of 15. There have been 91 deaths since the pandemic began.
  • New York State had 6,850 newly confirmed positive cases on Tuesday. The state has had nearly 1.7 million positive cases to date.
  • While it was approved by Health Canada, it’s unclear when Canada will receive shipments of the Johnson & Johnson one-dose vaccine. Prime Minister Justin Trudeau says when they get word, the country will be notified. The federal government pre-ordered 10 million doses.
  • Some restrictions in the Nunavut community of Arviat will be lifted roughly three-and-a-half months after it went into lockdown. Schools and businesses will reopen but schools will be part-time. Outdoor gatherings are limited to 25 people while indoors are restricted to five.
  • Americans receiving their $1,400 COVID-19 relief cheques won’t have the president’s signature on them. Former U.S. President Donald Trump had signed last year’s economic impact payments. A White House spokesman says a career official with the Bureau of the Fiscal Service will be signing them instead of U.S. President Joe Biden.
  • The RBC Canadian Open has been cancelled for a second year in a row. The PGA Tour event was originally supposed to happen in early June in Etobicoke but won’t go ahead due to COVID-19 logistical challenges.

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.