Newswatch COVID-19 Digest: Saturday May 1, 2021

Here are the latest local, regional and national headlines on the novel coronavirus (COVID-19) for Saturday, May 1, 2021:

  • There have been 463,364 confirmed cases of COVID-19 across Ontario, an increase of 3,887 cases from the previous day. There have been 417,252 people recovered from the virus while 8,050 have died. The number of Ontario people tested is 14,105,838 of which 29,003 have pending results.
  • (Health Canada did not update its website at 7 p.m. Friday night. The following figures have been collated by Newswatch from official provincial/territorial websites.) Canada’s coronavirus case total is 1,219,414. The country has 24,219 deaths from the virus – two in the Yukon, four in Nunavut, 1,581 in British Columbia, 2,082 in Alberta, 491 in Saskatchewan, 974 in Manitoba, 8,050 in Ontario, 10,926 in Quebec, 36 in New Brunswick, six in Newfoundland & Labrador and 67 in Nova Scotia.
  • The Eastern Ontario Health Unit area added 21 cases Friday to bring the regional total to 4,394 confirmed cases. There were 16 in Prescott-Russell, three in SD&G and two in Cornwall. Of all cases, 268 are active (24 fewer than Thursday) and 4,025 are resolved (45 more than Thursday). There are 101 deaths to date. There are 28 people in hospital (two fewer than Thursday) with seven in the ICU (two more than Thursday). There are eight active institutional outbreaks (no change). Testing increased by 333 to 134,907. The breakdown of cases is: Prescott-Russell 1,840 cases (127 active), SD&G 1,040 cases (46 active), Cornwall 1,194 cases (77 active) and Akwesasne (ON/QC) 320 cases (18 active).
  • The Leeds, Grenville and Lanark District Health Unit area added 12 cases Friday to bring the regional total to 1,629 confirmed cases, of which 72 are active (five more than Thursday) and 1,498 are recovered (seven more than Thursday). The number of deaths to date is 59. One person is in hospital (one fewer than Thursday) and that one person is in ICU (no change). There are no active institutional outbreaks. The community case breakdown is: Lanark County East 357 cases (32 active), Lanark County West 373 cases (nine active), Leeds-Grenville Central 180 cases (six active), Leeds-Grenville East 319 cases (22 active) and Leeds-Grenville West 178 cases (one active).
  • Vaccines: Ontario 5,139,984 (+112,214, last update April 30); EOHU 60,812 (last update April 30, +2,416 from previous update April 29); LGL 39,119 individuals with at least 1 shot (last update April 26, +6,855 from previous update April 19).
  • Premier Doug Ford says too many people are trying to exploit the loophole at the border to avoid staying at a hotel for three days. Read that story by clicking here.
  • The prime minister disputes Ford’s claim about problems with the borders. Justin Trudeau says there are already tight controls at entry points, including testing before and after as well as quarantines.
  • Public Health Agency of Canada figures show of 96,000 air travellers who’ve isolated at a government quarantine hotel, 1,700 have tested positive for some type of COVID-19 variant. Another 1,400 have come back positive for the general COVID-19 on tests taken a week to 10 days after leaving a hotel.
  • Stormont-Dundas-South Glengarry MPP Jim McDonell has tested positive for COVID-19. Read that story by clicking here.
  • A recent shipment of Johnson & Johnson vaccine for Canada is on hold. The shots will not be distributed by Health Canada after problems surfaced with the Baltimore plant that partially manufactures them. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration found “multiple areas of concern” at the plant.
  • Canada’s top doctor, Theresa Tam, says the rate of very sick people from COVID-19 continues to rise with a daily average of around 4,400 hospitalizations over the past week. There are 1,420 in intensive care.
  • Scientific modelling for British Columbia shows the province is managing to suppress a variant-driven wave of infections. The data shows a 30-40 per cent drop in transmission since March.
  • The U.S. reached a vaccine milestone on Friday with 100 million Americans now fully vaccinated. The United States is banning travel on most non-U.S. citizens coming from India where a massive coronavirus outbreak in the world’s second largest country is averaging more than 350,000 cases a day.

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.