Here are the latest local, regional and national headlines on the novel coronavirus (COVID-19) for Thursday, October 21, 2021:
- There have been 595,867 confirmed cases of COVID-19 across Ontario, an increase of 304 cases from the previous day (VAX: 198 unvaccinated, 10 partially vaccinated, 84 fully vaccinated, 12 unknown). There have been 582,609 people recovered from the virus while 9,823 have died. The number of Ontario people tested is 18,663,868 of which 13,668 have pending results.
- Canada’s coronavirus case total is 1,690,258. The country has 28,644 deaths from the virus – 10 in the Yukon, nine in the Northwest Territories, four in Nunavut, 2,092 in British Columbia, 3,006 in Alberta, 798 in Saskatchewan, 1,235 in Manitoba, 9,823 in Ontario, 11,455 in Quebec, 99 in New Brunswick, 15 in Newfoundland & Labrador and 98 in Nova Scotia.
- The Eastern Ontario Health Unit added 17 cases Wednesday – three in Prescott-Russell, four in SD&G, three in Cornwall and seven in Akwesasne – to bring the regional total to 5,743 confirmed cases, of which 145 are active (no change from Tuesday) and 5,477 are resolved (14 more than Tuesday). There were three more deaths bringing the total to 120. There are 24 people in hospital (seven more than Tuesday) and six in the ICU (two more than Tuesday). There are six institutional outbreaks (no change from Tuesday – three institutions, three schools, zero daycares). Testing increased 298 to 164,735. The breakdown of cases is: Prescott-Russell 2,246 cases (64 active), SD&G 1,322 cases (20 active), Cornwall 1,705 cases (46 active) and Akwesasne (ON/QC) 470 cases (15 active)(Akwesasne health department as of Tuesday: 471 total cases, 12 active, nine deaths to date).
- The Leeds, Grenville and Lanark District Health Unit added three cases Wednesday to bring the regional total to 1,934 confirmed cases, of which 11 are active (three more than Tuesday) and 1,861 are recovered (no change from Tuesday). There have been 62 deaths to date. There is one person in hospital, in the ICU one on a ventilator (no change from Tuesday). There are no active institutional outbreaks. The community case breakdown is: Lanark County East 430 cases (six active), Lanark County West 432 cases (four active), Leeds-Grenville Central 239 cases (one active), Leeds-Grenville East 390 cases (zero active), Leeds-Grenville West 213 cases (zero active) and Unknown/Out of Region 22 cases (zero active).
- Vaccines: Ontario 22,290,203 (+25,284, last update Oct. 20); EOHU 324,746 (last update Oct. 20, +938 from previous update Oct. 19); LGL 149,626 individuals living in LGL with first doses, 142,818 with second doses (last update Oct. 19, -1,298 first doses, +1,148 second doses since previous update Oct. 13, health unit has added third dose statistics with 2,133 third doses).
- An open letter signed by senior medical leaders at Cornwall Community Hospital and supported by 76 Cornwall-area doctors urges local residents to get vaccinated. The letter, published in local newspapers, stated a lot of what is known already – low rates of vaccination in the city area, non-emergency surgeries cancelled at Cornwall Community Hospital and many in hospital and in the ICU are unvaccinated.
- Saskatchewan’s medical officer of health was in tears Wednesday as he presented projections for COVID-19. Dr. Saqib Shahab was emotional when describing what he sees in ICU wards. Saskatchewan currently has the highest weekly death rate of all the provinces.
- Conservatives are objecting to a vaccination requirement to enter the House of Commons that’s been decided by a committee. The Liberals, NDP and Bloc Quebecois all agree MPs should be fully vaccinated to enter Parliament. But Tory leader Erin O’Toole does not.
- Four politicians in Manitoba who were photographed at an art gallery without masks are being exonerated. The chief public health officer says briefing posing for pictures with a mask is on exception to mandatory masking.
- The Olympic and Paralympic athletes representing Canada must be vaccinated to compete in the 2022 Winter Games in Beijing. The measure was announced Wednesday.
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