Newswatch COVID-19 Digest: Monday August 2, 2021

Here are the latest local, regional and national headlines on the novel coronavirus (COVID-19) for Monday, August 2, 2021:

  • There have been 550,654 confirmed cases of COVID-19 across Ontario, an increase of 218 cases from the previous day. There have been 539,640 people recovered from the virus while 9,347 have died. The number of Ontario people tested is 16,584,680 of which 4,368 have pending results.
  • Public Health Ontario will not be updating statistics today (Monday) due to the Civic Day holiday. Numbers for today will be reflected in tomorrow’s update at 10:30 a.m.
  • (Health Canada did not update statistics at 7 p.m. Sunday. The following was collated by Newswatch using official provincial/territorial websites.) Canada’s coronavirus case total is 1,431,104. (The only provinces/territories reporting case numbers Sunday were Saskatchewan, Ontario and New Brunswick.) The country has 26,600 deaths from the virus – seven in the Yukon, four in Nunavut, 1,771 in British Columbia, 2,328 in Alberta, 578 in Saskatchewan, 1,178 in Manitoba, 9,347 in Ontario, 11,241 in Quebec, 46 in New Brunswick, seven in Newfoundland & Labrador and 93 in Nova Scotia.
  • The Eastern Ontario Health Unit stands at 4,747 cases, of which 13 active and 4,623 are resolved. The have been 111 deaths to date. There is no one in hospital. There are no active institutional outbreaks. Testing is at 146,841. The breakdown of cases is: Prescott-Russell 1,987 cases (six active), SD&G 1,124 cases (zero active), Cornwall 1,277 cases (seven active) and Akwesasne (ON/QC) 359 cases (zero active). (The health unit doesn’t update statistics on weekends)
  • The Leeds, Grenville and Lanark District Health Unit stands at 1,768 confirmed cases, of which two are active and 1,706 are recovered. There are 60 deaths to date. There is one person in hospital. 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 (two active). (The health unit has not updated statistics this past week as statistician is on holidays. Stats are not updated on weekends. Next report comes Tuesday, Aug. 3.)
  • Vaccines: Ontario 19,519,781 (+60,583, last update Aug. 1); EOHU 266,908 (last update July 30, +2,288 from previous update July 29); 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).
  • Thousands of Moderna shots in Ontario are about to expire. Ontario pharmacists say the vaccine could go to waste if people don’t get the shots. The CEO of the Ontario Pharmacists Association says it’s a combination of a slowdown in the rollout and people’s preference for the Pfizer vaccine.
  • More restrictions were lifted in Quebec Sunday as people are now allowed to drink in bars and restaurants until 1 a.m. – an extra hour than the previous restriction of midnight. The major league soccer team will also host games at Saputo Stadium with fans in the stands starting Wednesday. Masks and social distancing are still required in indoor public spaces and on transit.
  • Rates of burnout and exhaustion are increasing among American medical workers. The surge of the Delta variant is filling up U.S. hospitals with people – mostly the unvaccinated.
  • First a record for daily new cases and now – a day after – Florida has broken a previous record for people in hospital. There are 10,207 people in Florida hospitals with COVID-19 – the previous record was more than a year ago.
  • Thousands protested in Berlin over the German government’s anti-coronavirus measures, which included a ban on public gatherings. Around 600 were arrested.

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.