Here are the latest local, regional and national headlines on the novel coronavirus (COVID-19) for Thursday, July 22, 2021:
- There have been 548,609 confirmed cases of COVID-19 across Ontario, an increase of 135 cases from the previous day. There have been 537,975 people recovered from the virus while 9,300 have died. The number of Ontario people tested is 16,392,538 of which 7,379 have pending results.
- Canada’s coronavirus case total is 1,424,715. The country has 26,512 deaths from the virus – six in the Yukon, four in Nunavut, 1,763 in British Columbia, 2,318 in Alberta, 575 in Saskatchewan, 1,166 in Manitoba, 9,300 in Ontario, 11,235 in Quebec, 46 in New Brunswick, seven in Newfoundland & Labrador and 92 in Nova Scotia.
- The Eastern Ontario Health Unit area added five cases on Wednesday – three in Prescott-Russell and two in Cornwall – to bring the regional total of 4,735, with six active (five more than Tuesday) and 4,618 are resolved (no change from Tuesday). The number of deaths to date is 111. There is no one in hospital. There are no active institutional outbreaks. Testing increased by 158 to 145,818. The breakdown of cases is: Prescott-Russell 1,981 cases (three active), SD&G 1,124 cases (zero active), Cornwall 1,271 cases (three active) and Akwesasne (ON/QC) 359 cases (zero active).
- The Leeds, Grenville and Lanark District Health Unit area remained at 1,768 confirmed cases Wednesday, of which three are active (one fewer than Tuesday) and 1,705 are recovered (one more than Tuesday). There are 60 deaths to date. There is one person in hospital (one fewer than Tuesday). There are no active institutional outbreaks. The community case breakdown is: Lanark County East 386 cases (zero active), Lanark County West 400 cases (zero active), Leeds-Grenville Central 208 cases (zero active), Leeds-Grenville East 349 cases (zero active) and Leeds-Grenville West 203 cases (three active).
- Vaccines: Ontario 18,479,003 (+140,491, last update July 21); EOHU 247,686 (last update July 21, +3,700 from previous update July 20); LGL 134,049 individuals living in LGL with first doses, 103,020 with second doses (last update July 20, +1,463 first doses, +16,602 second doses since previous update July 13).
- The LGL District Health Unit will transition to mobile vaccine clinics at the end of August. The fixed site mass vaccination clinics in Almonte, Smiths Falls, Kemptville and Brockville will end at that time. People who had fixed site second dose appointments in September and October will be contacted to reschedule. Just over two-thirds of the Leeds-Grenville and Lanark County population 12 and over are fully vaccinated.
- Before they end at the end of August, the LGL District Health Unit is accepting walk-ins at all its fixed site locations. It started Monday (July 19) after the health unit says it had a successful trial run.
- While Canada will allow fully vaccinated Americans to come into the country starting Aug. 9, the United States will not reciprocate. The Department of Homeland Security extended restrictions for another month until Aug. 21, due to the rapidly spreading Delta variant.
- U.S. nursing homes are seeing an increase in COVID-19 infections and deaths due to lagging vaccination rates among nursing home staff. In one location hard-hit by coronavirus in Colorado, many workers were not vaccinated.
- Government officials in New Orleans, Louisiana are urging people to resume wearing masks indoors with a level of new cases not seen in months. The mayor stopped short of making a masking mandate. The seven-day average was 117 on Wednesday, driven by the Delta variant.
- Ontario Hockey League players will be required to be fully vaccinated for coronavirus two weeks before training camps open in September. Those who don’t abide by the policy will see players removed from the roster while staffers will be put on unpaid leave.
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.