Here are the latest local, regional and national headlines on the novel coronavirus (COVID-19) for Friday, October 29, 2021:
- There have been 598,840 confirmed cases of COVID-19 across Ontario, an increase of 409 cases from the previous day (VAX: 220 unvaccinated, 16 partially vaccinated, 144 fully vaccinated, 29 unknown). There have been 585,957 people recovered from the virus while 9,865 have died. The number of Ontario people tested is 18,879,676 of which 13,410 have pending results.
- Canada’s coronavirus case total is 1,709,536. The country has 28,928 deaths from the virus – 10 in the Yukon, 10 in the Northwest Territories, four in Nunavut, 2,147 in British Columbia, 3,085 in Alberta, 843 in Saskatchewan, 1,244 in Manitoba, 9,865 in Ontario, 11,490 in Quebec, 114 in New Brunswick, 16 in Newfoundland & Labrador and 100 in Nova Scotia.
- The Eastern Ontario Health Unit added 11 cases Thursday – one each in Prescott-Russell, SD&G and Cornwall, and eight in Akwesasne (data catch-up) – to bring the regional total to 5,802 confirmed cases, of which 85 are active (39 fewer than Wednesday) and 5,590 are resolved (49 more than Wednesday). There was one more death reported to bring the total to 126. There are 12 people in hospital (one fewer than Wednesday) and two in the ICU (one fewer than Wednesday). There are five institutional outbreaks (one more than Wednesday – Cornwall Community Hospital’s Janet MacDonell Pavilion, Residence St-Francois in Casselman, Sandfield Place in Cornwall and Heritage Heights in Cornwall and one school). Testing increased 221 to 166,316. The breakdown of cases is: Prescott-Russell 2,261 cases (36 active), SD&G 1,340 cases (21 active), Cornwall 1,723 cases (20 active) and Akwesasne (ON/QC) 478 cases (eight active)(Akwesasne health department reported four new cases Thursday: 484 total cases, 10 active, nine deaths to date).
- The Leeds, Grenville and Lanark District Health Unit added four cases Thursday to bring the regional total to 1,940 confirmed cases, of which seven are active (two more than Wednesday) and 1,870 are recovered (to more than Wednesday). The number of deaths to date is 63. There is no one in hospital. There are no active institutional outbreaks. The community case breakdown is: Lanark County East 430 cases (zero active), Lanark County West 436 cases (five active), Leeds-Grenville Central 240 cases (one active), Leeds-Grenville East 390 cases (zero active), Leeds-Grenville West 213 cases (zero active) and Unknown/Out of Region 23 cases (one active).
- Vaccines: Ontario 22,455,484 (+20,408, last update Oct. 28); EOHU 328,729 (last update Oct. 28, +464 from previous update Oct. 27); LGL 150,277 individuals living in LGL with first doses, 145,102 with second doses, 2,344 with third doses. (last update Oct. 26, +651 first doses, +2,284 second doses, +211 third doses since previous update Oct. 19).
- The Eastern Ontario Health Unit is quitting its weekly media briefings with reporters. The health unit says it will “remain available to the media.” The EOHU has been holding webcast briefings since the start of the pandemic in March 2020.
- The Ontario government will be offering take-home COVID-19 test kits to all students and school staff. Education Minister Stephen Lecce says the PCR test kits will be rolled out starting the middle of next month. Lecce also announced that unvaccinated education workers will have to take rapid antigen testing three times a week instead of two.
- Capacity limits have been lifted for Remembrance Day ceremonies and Santa Claus parades across Ontario. A spokesman for Health Minister Christine Elliott pointed out the risk for COVID-19 transmission in these outdoor settings is significantly lower. Other outdoor social gatherings are still capped at 100 people.
- An in-home funeral service in the southern portion of Akwesasne is the focus of a cluster of new COVID-19 cases. The Saint Regis Mohawk Tribe’s Emergency Operations Center had five new positive cases Wednesday connected to an in-home wake and funeral service. The EOC says, at the request of the family, it’s issuing an advisory telling people who went to the service at 383 Frogtown Road between Oct. 17-19 to get tested.
- Saskatchewan Premier Scott Moe doesn’t have an answer for when cancelled surgeries due to the pandemic will be rescheduled. More than 30,000 people are on a waiting list as the province deals with the fourth wave of the virus. It has the highest weekly case rates in the country.
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