Here are the latest local, regional and national headlines on the novel coronavirus (COVID-19) for Monday, September 27, 2021:
- There have been 583,928 confirmed cases of COVID-19 across Ontario, an increase of 653 cases from the previous day (398 unvaccinated, 39 partially, 154 fully vaccinated, 62 unknown). There were 727 cases on Friday and 640 on Saturday. There have been 568,633 people recovered from the virus while 9,704 have died. The number of Ontario people tested is 17,954,556 of which 11,512 have pending results.
- Canada’s coronavirus case total on Friday was 1,598,807. The country has 27,620 deaths from the virus – nine in the Yukon, two in the Northwest Territories, four in Nunavut, 1,922 in British Columbia, 2,622 in Alberta, 663 in Saskatchewan, 1,207 in Manitoba, 9,688 in Ontario, 11,349 in Quebec, 52 in New Brunswick, seven in Newfoundland & Labrador and 95 in Nova Scotia. Health Canada will update numbers at 7:30 p.m. today.
- The Eastern Ontario Health Unit area added 30 cases Friday – eight in Prescott-Russell, four in SD&G and 18 in Cornwall – to bring the regional total to 5,218 confirmed cases, of which 174 are active (15 more than Thursday) and 4,931 are resolved (15 more than Thursday). The number of deaths is 113. There are seven people in hospital (three more than Thursday) and two in the ICU (one more than Thursday). There are seven institutional outbreaks (one more than Thursday)(five schools, one daycare and one at the Cornwall Community Hospital). Testing increased 572 to 157,418. The breakdown of cases is: Prescott-Russell 2,126 cases (41 active), SD&G 1,226 cases (20 active), Cornwall 1,473 cases (101 active) and Akwesasne (ON/QC) 393 cases (12 active)(Akwesasne health department reports one new case Friday: 407 total cases, 21 active).
- The Leeds, Grenville and Lanark District Health Unit added five cases Friday to bring the regional total to 1,876 confirmed cases, of which 16 are active (no change from Thursday) and 1,800 are recovered (five more than Thursday). There are 60 deaths to date. There are three people in hospital (one more than Thursday), two in the ICU and one on a ventilator (no change in ICU/vent from Thursday). There are no active institutional outbreaks. The community case breakdown is: Lanark County East 413 cases (eight active), Lanark County West 421 cases (one active), Leeds-Grenville Central 219 cases (two active), Leeds-Grenville East 385 cases (three active), Leeds-Grenville West 209 cases (one active) and Unknown/Out of Region 21 cases (one active).
- Vaccines: Ontario 21,651,850 (+37,645, last update Sept. 26); EOHU 308,392 (last update Sept. 24, +1,319 from previous update Sept. 23); 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).
- Capacity limits in places where proof of vaccination is required were eased over the weekend. As of Saturday (Sept. 25), those places like banquet halls, conference centers, concerts and sporting events were able to fill to 50 per cent capacity or 10,000 people, whichever is less, indoors. For outdoors is 75 per cent capacity or 15,000 people at standing events or 30,000 for sitting events. With these changes, the province is also requiring proof of vaccination where the outdoor capacity is 20,000 or more. The previous restrictions under step three of the Roadmap to Reopen were up to 100 people outdoors and 25 indoors for organized public events and gatherings.
- The Upper Canada school board announced COVID-19 cases Thursday and Friday at CCVS in Cornwall, St. Lawrence Secondary School in Cornwall (person not at school while infectious), Eamer’s Corners Public School in Cornwall, the TR Leger Cornwall Campus and the board office in Brockville. All buildings are open and running normally. On Wednesday, there were cases reported at Chesterville Public School and Viscount Alexander Public School in Cornwall. An outbreak has been declared at the Chesterville school and at CCVS, meaning two or more cases are linked to spread within the school.
- The CEO of Pfizer says it’s a matter of days not weeks before it and German partner BioNTech submit data to U.S. regulators to approve its vaccine for children aged five to 11. Testing has already show that it works in youngsters at a lower dose than those over 12.
- In British Columbia, the B.C. Vaccine Card will be the only acceptable proof of vaccination starting today (Monday) for people wanted to visit non-essential services like restaurants and gyms. There had been a transition period but that ended today.
- Hundreds of people celebrating in the streets of Norway and in bars and restaurants led to brawls and people fainting outside bars. It happened after the prime minister unexpectedly announced an end to all COVID-19 restrictions, a move that took many by surprise.
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