Here are the latest local, regional and national headlines on the novel coronavirus (COVID-19) for Monday, November 1, 2021:
- There have been 599,955 confirmed cases of COVID-19 across Ontario, an increase of 340 cases from the previous day (VAX: 167 unvaccinated, 12 partially vaccinated, 117 fully vaccinated, 44 unknown). There were 419 cases on Friday and 356 on Saturday. There have been 587,069 people recovered from the virus while 9,871 have died. The number of Ontario people tested is 18,961,742 of which 7,935 have pending results.
- Canada’s coronavirus case total (as of Friday) is 1,712,128. The country has 28,952 deaths from the virus – 10 in the Yukon, 11 in the Northwest Territories, four in Nunavut, 2,156 in British Columbia, 3,093 in Alberta, 846 in Saskatchewan, 1,246 in Manitoba, 9,865 in Ontario, 11,491 in Quebec, 114 in New Brunswick, 16 in Newfoundland & Labrador and 100 in Nova Scotia.
- The Eastern Ontario Health Unit added four cases Friday – one in SD&G and three in Cornwall – to bring the regional total to 5,806 confirmed cases, of which 64 are active (21 fewer than Thursday) and 5,615 are resolved (25 more than Thursday). The number of deaths to date is 126. There are 13 people in hospital (one more than Thursday) and two in the ICU (no change from Thursday). There are five institutional outbreaks (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 264 to 166,580. The breakdown of cases is: Prescott-Russell 2,261 cases (19 active), SD&G 1,341 cases (17 active), Cornwall 1,726 cases (20 active) and Akwesasne (ON/QC) 478 cases (eight active)(Akwesasne health department reported no new cases Friday: 484 total cases, eight active, nine deaths to date).
- The Leeds, Grenville and Lanark District Health Unit added one case Friday to bring the regional total to 1,941 confirmed cases, of which seven are active (no change from Thursday) and 1,871 are recovered (one more than Thursday). 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 435 cases (three active), Leeds-Grenville Central 240 cases (one active), Leeds-Grenville East 391 cases (one active), Leeds-Grenville West 214 cases (one active) and Unknown/Out of Region 23 cases (one active).
- Vaccines: Ontario 22,514,717 (+15,740, last update Oct. 31); EOHU 329,305 (last update Oct. 29, +576 from previous update Oct. 28); 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).
- Visitors wanting to access the Cornwall Community Hospital will have to provide proof of vaccination starting today (Nov. 1). The rule doesn’t apply to patients.
- People who have an iPhone will be able to carry their proof of vaccination in their Apple Wallet. The province announced Friday that users with phones running on iOS 15.1 or later can download the QR code into their Apple Wallet and Apple Health app.
- The U.S. Food and Drug Administration has approved the pediatric version of the Pfizer vaccine for kids aged 5 to 11. The FDA approval is for emergency use and vaccinations of roughly 28 million American children could start as early as this week.
- A new study suggests vaccines provide a higher rate of protection than “natural immunity.” The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention study showed adults who got the shot were five times less likely to develop COVID than those who are unvaccinated and previous had the virus.
- The St. Lawrence Seaway Management Corporation is putting a mandatory vaccine policy in place. It starts Nov. 15 and will cover agencies, administrators, vendors, suppliers, visitors and contractors to any of the seaway’s buildings, locks and other sites.
- Nine Canadian Armed Forces nurses are heading back home after helping out in Edmonton. They were deployed in late September after the Alberta government request for help.
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.