Here are the latest local, regional and national headlines on the novel coronavirus (COVID-19) for Friday, August 27, 2021:
- There have been 561,975 confirmed cases of COVID-19 across Ontario, an increase of 678 cases from the previous day (395 unvaccinated, 82 partially, 141 fully vaccinated, 60 unknown). There have been 547,198 people recovered from the virus while 9,472 have died. The number of Ontario people tested is 17,108,903 of which 14,507 have pending results.
- Canada’s coronavirus case total is 1,482,668. The country has 26,864 deaths from the virus – eight in the Yukon, one in the Northwest Territories, four in Nunavut, 1,804 in British Columbia, 2,360 in Alberta, 594 in Saskatchewan, 1,189 in Manitoba, 9,472 in Ontario, 11,285 in Quebec, 46 in New Brunswick, seven in Newfoundland & Labrador and 94 in Nova Scotia.
- The Eastern Ontario Health Unit area added 14 cases Thursday – eight in Prescott-Russell, four in SD&G and two in Cornwall – to bring the regional total to 4,819 confirmed cases, of which 34 are active (14 more than Wednesday) and 4,673 are resolved (no change from Wednesday). The number of deaths is at 112. There is one person in hospital in the ICU. There are no institutional outbreaks. Testing increased 131 to 150,322. The breakdown of cases is: Prescott-Russell 2,016 cases (18 active), SD&G 1,143 cases (seven active), Cornwall 1,300 cases (six active) and Akwesasne (ON/QC) 360 cases (three active).
- The Leeds, Grenville and Lanark District Health Unit area added three cases Thursday to bring the regional total to 1,806 confirmed cases, of which 11 are active (three more than Wednesday) and 1,735 are recovered (no change from Wednesday). 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 389 cases (one active), Lanark County West 415 cases (five active), Leeds-Grenville Central 213 cases (two active), Leeds-Grenville East 357 cases (three active), Leeds-Grenville West 205 cases (zero active) and Unknown 19 cases (zero active).
- Vaccines: Ontario 20,605,405 (+38,932, last update Aug. 26); EOHU 290,110 (last update Aug. 26, +802 from previous update Aug. 25); LGL 139,099 individuals living in LGL with first doses, 127,377 with second doses (last update Aug. 17, +1,325 first doses, +4,335 second doses since previous update Aug. 10).
- While the Eastern Ontario Health Unit is wrapping up mass vaccination clinics, it says it will still offer “smaller, community-based” vaccine clinics for walk-ins and also by appointment in six locations in the region. Those are Cornwall, Winchester, Hawkesbury, Casselman, Alexandria and Rockland with dates and times updated here (schedules are half way down the web page).
- St. Lawrence County, New York added 50 new cases on Thursday. The county has a total of 8,257 cases of which 289 are active with most active cases in Ogdensburg (49), Potsdam (27), Massena (23) as well as Oswegatchie and Lisbon (outskirts of Ogdensburg, 21 and 21). Twenty-one people are hospitalized, four more since Tuesday. The number of deaths remains at 97. The St. Lawrence County Public Health Department reverted back to reporting statistics every weekday after cutting back to twice a week.
- Canada will be moving to the “green” list for travel to the United Kingdom. That means Canadians coming into the UK won’t have to quarantine when they get there, regardless of vaccination status.
- Alberta residents will soon be able to print off a proof-of-vaccination card. But provincial rules around requiring it in places like bars and restaurants are not in place.
- The early days of the pandemic seems to have driven some people to drink. A University of Calgary study shows the number of Albertans hospitalized for alcohol-related liver disease jumped during the first wave of the pandemic. The rates of alcohol hepatitis almost doubled compared to before the pandemic.
- During a campaign stop in Quebec Thursday, Liberal Leader Justin Trudeau wouldn’t exactly say whether he supports COVID-19 booster shots for Canadians. The World Health Organization wants richer nations to not offer the third shot to allow poorer countries the ability to get their populations vaccinated.
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