Newswatch COVID-19 Digest: Tuesday June 29, 2021

Here are the latest local, regional and national headlines on the novel coronavirus (COVID-19) for Tuesday, June 29, 2021:

  • There have been 544,414 confirmed cases of COVID-19 across Ontario, an increase of 210 cases from the previous day. There have been 532,779 people recovered from the virus while 9,129 have died. The number of Ontario people tested is 15,893,718 of which 4,259 have pending results.
  • Canada’s coronavirus case total is 1,414,134. The country has 26,238 deaths from the virus – four in the Yukon, four in Nunavut, 1,754 in British Columbia, 2,295 in Alberta, 566 in Saskatchewan, 1,139 in Manitoba, 9,129 in Ontario, 11,203 in Quebec, 45 in New Brunswick, seven in Newfoundland & Labrador and 92 in Nova Scotia.
  • The Eastern Ontario Health Unit area added one case over the weekend in Prescott-Russell to bring the total confirmed cases Monday to 4,728, of which four are active (five fewer than Friday) and 4,610 are resolved (five more than Friday). One additional death has been reported bringing the total to 109. There is no one in hospital. There are no active institutional outbreaks. Testing increased 140 to 143,553. The breakdown of cases is: Prescott-Russell 1,979 cases (three active), SD&G 1,123 cases (zero active), Cornwall 1,267 cases (one active) and Akwesasne (ON/QC) 359 cases (zero active).
  • The Leeds, Grenville and Lanark District Health Unit area added two cases over the weekend to bring the regional total to 1,762 confirmed cases on Monday, of which three are active (one more than Friday) and 1,699 are recovered (one more than Friday). 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 385 cases (two active), Lanark County West 399 cases (one active), Leeds-Grenville Central 208 cases (zero active), Leeds-Grenville East 348 cases (zero active) and Leeds-Grenville West 200 cases (zero active).
  • Vaccines: Ontario 14,207,510 (+180,369, last update June 28); EOHU 179,164 (last update June 28, +11,649 from previous update June 25); LGL 125,594 individuals living in LGL with first doses, 28,295 with second doses (last update June 22, +3,717 first doses, +11,260 second doses since previous update June 15).
  • Medical Officer of Health Dr. Paul Roumeliotis says two recent deaths added to the local statistics were “elderly individuals” in the community. Roumeliotis did not have information on their vaccination status. But he notes the rates of death have plummeted since vaccinations increased.
  • The Eastern Ontario Health Unit has added 7,143 vaccine appointment spaces between now and July 11 which have been filling up since second dose eligibility opened up to all adults Monday. The health unit plans to add 25,000 more appointments the week of July 18-25 that will be available “early next week.” Medical Officer of Health Dr. Paul Roumeliotis says they first want to get a “sight line on Pfizer deliveries,” which came up short recently with the health unit relying on Moderna.
  • People who had a second dose appointment for Cornwall Square July 13-30 will be going to the Benson Center during mass vaccination clinics there. Roumeliotis says they are emailing and calling people who have another Cornwall Square second dose date that doesn’t line up with a Benson Center date to find an alternate appointment date.
  • Roumeliotis says vaccinations are going well with 78 per cent of the local population with a first dose and 27 per cent fully vaccinated.
  • All of Quebec is at the lowest pandemic alert level of green. There hasn’t been a COVID-19 related death since Wednesday (June 23).
  • British Columbia is set to further loosen restrictions sometime this week based on a dramatic drop in cases and higher vaccination rates. Nearly 77 per cent of people over the age of 12 have received a first dose of vaccine.
  • Canada reached another vaccine milestone on Monday with more than 30 per cent of Canadians 12 years old and older being fully vaccinated. Based on the current pace of needles in arms, Canada could reach 50 per cent in a couple of weeks.

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