Here are the latest local, regional and national headlines on the novel coronavirus (COVID-19) for Friday, June 18, 2021:
- There have been 541,180 confirmed cases of COVID-19 across Ontario, an increase of 370 cases from the previous day. There have been 527,797 people recovered from the virus while 8,993 have died. The number of Ontario people tested is 15,649,372 of which 11,462 have pending results.
- Canada’s coronavirus case total is 1,406,253. The country has 26,012 deaths from the virus – three in the Yukon, four in Nunavut, 1,739 in British Columbia, 2,280 in Alberta, 561 in Saskatchewan, 1,112 in Manitoba, 8,993 in Ontario, 11,178 in Quebec, 45 in New Brunswick, seven in Newfoundland & Labrador and 90 in Nova Scotia.
- Saskatchewan’s number of deaths dropped from 562 to 561. A person in Regina previously listed as a fatality was corrected to a resolved case, according to CBC News.
- The Eastern Ontario Health Unit area added four cases Thursday – three in SD&G and one in Cornwall – to bring the regional total to 4,731 confirmed cases, of which 15 are active (two more than Wednesday) and 4,609 are resolved (two more than Wednesday). There are 107 deaths to date. There are two people in hospital (no change) with one in the ICU (no change). There are no active institutional outbreaks. Testing increased by 120 to 141,738. The breakdown of cases is: Prescott-Russell 1,982 cases (eight active), SD&G 1,124 cases (five active), Cornwall 1,266 cases (two active) and Akwesasne (ON/QC) 359 cases (zero active).
- The Leeds, Grenville and Lanark District Health Unit area remained unchanged Thursday at a regional total to 1,757 confirmed cases, of which eight are active (no change) and 1,689 are recovered (no change). There are 60 deaths to date. There is no one in hospital. There are no active institutional outbreaks. The community case breakdown is: Lanark County East 383 cases (zero active), Lanark County West 396 cases (three active), Leeds-Grenville Central 208 cases (zero active), Leeds-Grenville East 348 cases (one active) and Leeds-Grenville West 199 cases (three active).
- Vaccines: Ontario 11,943,025 (+210,611, last update June 17); EOHU 146,451 (last update June 17, +3,152 from previous update June 16); LGL 121,877 individuals living in LGL with first doses, 17,035 with second doses (last update June 15, +7,779 first doses, +6,744 second doses since previous update June 8).
- Ontario is expanding eligibility for second vaccine doses in Delta variant (first discovered in India) hot spot regions. On Wednesday (June 23), those who received their first dose on or before May 30 in those areas around the GTHA and northeastern Ontario, will be eligible to book their second.
- On Monday at 8 a.m., those who received their first dose on or before May 9 will be able to book their second dose appointment through the Ontario vaccine portal. The province plans for anyone over the age of 18 who has had their first dose will be eligible to get their second Pfizer or Moderna vaccine the week of June 28. The second appointment will be at least 28 days after your first shot date.
- Ontario Chief Public Health Officer Dr. David Williams is advising people to be patient and cautious when it comes to reopening the province’s economy. Williams says while case numbers are dropping the Delta variant is spreading. The next stage of reopening is not expected to happen until at least July 2.
- Canada Day festivities in Lamoureux Park in Cornwall are cancelled for a second year in a row due to the pandemic restrictions.
- Canada’s premiers met with Prime Minister Justin Trudeau Thursday night about Canada-U.S. border restrictions. The premiers are pressuring Trudeau to ease restrictions.
- New guidance from the National Advisory Committee on Immunization. It says people who got a mRNA vaccine, Pfizer or Moderna, as their first shot should get the same for their second. Those who got AstraZeneca as their first shot are being advised by NACI now to get an mRNA vaccine for their second. Previously, it said people who received AstraZeneca could choose the same for their shot or an mRNA vaccine.
- Canada was expected to receive one million doses of Moderna yesterday (Thursday) from the United States. Procurement Minister Anita Anand says the shots are coming with no strings attached and will be on top of the 44 million doses Canada already bought directly from Moderna.
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