Here are the latest local, regional and national headlines on the novel coronavirus (COVID-19) for Friday, September 24, 2021:
- There have been 581,908 confirmed cases of COVID-19 across Ontario, an increase of 677 cases from the previous day (433 unvaccinated, 41 partially, 148 fully vaccinated, 55 unknown). There have been 566,386 people recovered from the virus while 9,677 have died. The number of Ontario people tested is 17,853,335 of which 21,168 have pending results.
- Canada’s coronavirus case total is 1,594,200. The country has 27,581 deaths from the virus – nine in the Yukon, two in the Northwest Territories, four in Nunavut, 1,915 in British Columbia, 2,611 in Alberta, 658 in Saskatchewan, 1,207 in Manitoba, 9,677 in Ontario, 11,347 in Quebec, 49 in New Brunswick, seven in Newfoundland & Labrador and 95 in Nova Scotia.
- The Eastern Ontario Health Unit area added 30 cases Thursday – five in Prescott-Russell, four in SD&G and 21 in Cornwall – to bring the regional total to 5,188 confirmed cases, of which 159 are active (15 more than Wednesday) and 4,916 are resolved (15 more than Wednesday). The number of deaths is 113. There are four people in hospital (two fewer than Wednesday) and one in the ICU (no change). There are six institutional outbreaks (one more than Wednesday)(five schools and one daycare). Testing increased 686 to 156,846. The breakdown of cases is: Prescott-Russell 2,118 cases (34 active), SD&G 1,222 cases (17 active), Cornwall 1,455 cases (96 active) and Akwesasne (ON/QC) 393 cases (12 active)(Akwesasne health department reports five new cases Thursday: 406 total cases, 20 active).
- The Leeds, Grenville and Lanark District Health Unit added one case on Thursday to bring the regional total to 1,871 confirmed cases, of which 16 are active (four fewer than Wednesday) and 1,795 are recovered (five more than Wednesday). There are 60 deaths to date. There are two people in hospital, both in the ICU and one is on a ventilator. There are no active institutional outbreaks. The community case breakdown is: Lanark County East 410 cases (five active), Lanark County West 420 cases (zero active), Leeds-Grenville Central 219 cases (two active), Leeds-Grenville East 384 cases (six active), Leeds-Grenville West 209 cases (two active) and Unknown/Out of Region 21 cases (one active).
- Vaccines: Ontario 21,519,784 (+44,754, last update Sept. 23); EOHU 307,073 (last update Sept. 23, +891 from previous update Sept. 22); LGL 145,254 individuals living in LGL with first doses, 136,562 with second doses (last update Sept. 21, +1,511 first doses, +1,404 second doses since previous update Sept. 14).
- Ontario’s Canadian Union of Public Employees is calling on the provincial government to bring in classroom size limits and social distancing rules. CUPE President Fred Hahn says mandatory vaccines and masking is not enough.
- The federal government is providing critical care staff help to Alberta as the province deals with an overwhelming number of COVID-19 patients. On the political side, the Opposition NDP is calling on Premier Jason Kenney to delegate public health decisions to Alberta’s chief medical officer of health.
- Third doses of the Pfizer vaccine are being offered in New Brunswick to certain groups including people with compromised immune systems.
- Some big incentive pay is coming for Quebec nurses. Premier Francois Legault is giving full-time nurses $15,000 and nurses who quit and want to return full-time, $12,000. The bonuses are aimed at five regions that are dealing with staffing shortages, namely the Outaouais and Gaspe.
- Saskatchewan is putting so many resources toward the fourth wave of COVID-19, it has suspended its organ donation program. That means if registered donor dies, their organs will not be gifted to someone who needs them.
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.