Newswatch COVID-19 Digest: Wednesday November 17, 2021

Here are the latest local, regional and national headlines on the novel coronavirus (COVID-19) for Wednesday, November 17, 2021:

  • There have been 608,206 confirmed cases of COVID-19 across Ontario, an increase of 481 cases from the previous day (VAX: 236 unvaccinated, 18 partially vaccinated, 189 fully vaccinated, 38 unknown). There have been 593,454 people recovered from the virus while 9,938 have died. The number of Ontario people tested is 19,381,792 of which 13,685 have pending results.
  • Canada’s coronavirus case total is 1,754,375. The country has 29,403 deaths from the virus – 11 in the Yukon, 12 in the Northwest Territories, four in Nunavut, 2,274 in British Columbia, 3,201 in Alberta, 897 in Saskatchewan, 1,274 in Manitoba, 9,938 in Ontario, 11,548 in Quebec, 122 in New Brunswick, 17 in Newfoundland & Labrador and 105 in Nova Scotia.
  • The Eastern Ontario Health Unit added six cases Tuesday – one each in Prescott-Russell and SD&G and four in Cornwall – to bring the regional total to 5,935 confirmed cases, of which 62 are active (four fewer than Monday) and 5,742 are resolved (nine more than Monday). The number of deaths increased by one for a second day for a total of 131 fatalities. There are six people in hospital (one fewer than Monday) and two in the ICU (one fewer than Monday). There are two institutional outbreaks (one more than Monday). Testing increased 404 to 170,375. The breakdown of cases is: Prescott-Russell 2,280 cases (15 active), SD&G 1,367 cases (eight active), Cornwall 1,785 cases (18 active) and Akwesasne (ON/QC) 503 cases (21 active)(Akwesasne health department reported four new cases Tuesday: 512 total cases, 15 active, nine deaths to date).
  • The Leeds, Grenville and Lanark District Health Unit added four cases Tuesday to bring the regional total to 2,007 confirmed cases, of which 34 are active (no change from Monday) and 1,909 are recovered (four more than Monday). The number of deaths to date is 64. There are three people in hospital (one change from Monday). There are no active institutional outbreaks. The community case breakdown is: Lanark County East 445 cases (four active), Lanark County West 453 cases (10 active), Leeds-Grenville Central 248 cases (five active), Leeds-Grenville East 405 cases (eight active), Leeds-Grenville West 224 cases (seven active) and Unknown/Out of Region 25 cases (zero active).
  • Vaccines: Ontario 22,733,297 (+13,146, last update Nov. 16); EOHU 333,915 (last update Nov. 16, +336 from previous update Nov. 15); LGL 151,329 individuals living in LGL with first doses, 147,313 with second doses, 3,982 with third doses. (last update Nov. 16, +316 first doses, +605 second doses, +690 third doses since previous update Nov. 9).
  • It seems not as many eligible people in the Leeds, Grenville and Lanark region are fully vaccinated than had been reported earlier by the health unit. The percentage of fully vaccinated is 91.8 per cent rather than 95.7 as earlier stated by the health unit. For first doses it’s 94.3 per cent, not 98.5 per cent. The LGL District Health Unit says that’s because it just got updated population counts from Statistics Canada and the population has grown 4 per cent between 2016 and 2020.
  • B.C.’s chief public health officer says COVID-19 restrictions may be applied across the board for all regions of the province as part of a “harmonization” in order to quell the spread of the virus.
  • Saskatchewan has received about 2,500 doses of the Johnson & Johnson one-shot vaccine. It will be given through health unit clinics. Alberta also got some J&J vaccine after both provinces made a request to the federal government.
  • Changes are expected soon from the federal government regarding the pricey molecular testing requirement at the Canadian border. The government has been pressured by stakeholders in the tourism and cross-border trade sectors to do away with the requirement. It’s part of an order-in-council that’s to expire Sunday.
  • New Year’s Eve in New York City’s Times Square is back on this year! Mayor Bill de Blasio says it will be back to full strength but only for the fully vaccinated. Proof will be required to attend the festivities in the heart of NYC.

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