Here are the latest local, regional and national headlines on the novel coronavirus (COVID-19) for Thursday, November 18, 2021:
- There have been 608,718 confirmed cases of COVID-19 across Ontario, an increase of 512 cases from the previous day (VAX: 250 unvaccinated, 19 partially vaccinated, 202 fully vaccinated, 41 unknown). There have been 594,027 people recovered from the virus while 9,950 have died. The number of Ontario people tested is 19,410,723 of which 13,473 have pending results.
- Canada’s coronavirus case total is 1,756,823. The country has 29,431 deaths from the virus – 11 in the Yukon, 12 in the Northwest Territories, four in Nunavut, 2,281 in British Columbia, 3,204 in Alberta, 901 in Saskatchewan, 1,276 in Manitoba, 9,950 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 12 cases Wednesday – seven in SD&G, six in Cornwall and one removed from Prescott-Russell – to bring the regional total to 5,947 confirmed cases, of which 66 are active (four more than Tuesday) and 5,750 are resolved (eight more than Tuesday). The number of deaths to date is 131. There are two people in hospital (four fewer than Tuesday) and one in the ICU (one fewer than Tuesday). There are two institutional outbreaks (no change from Tuesday). Testing increased 285 to 170,660. The breakdown of cases is: Prescott-Russell 2,279 cases (12 active), SD&G 1,374 cases (14 active), Cornwall 1,791 cases (19 active) and Akwesasne (ON/QC) 503 cases (21 active)(Akwesasne health department reported two new cases Wednesday: 514 total cases, 16 active, nine deaths to date).
- The Leeds, Grenville and Lanark District Health Unit added nine cases Wednesday to bring the regional total to 2,016 confirmed cases, of which 38 are active (four more than Tuesday) and 1,914 are recovered (five more than Tuesday). The number of deaths to date is 64. There are three people in hospital (no change from Tuesday). There are no active institutional outbreaks. The community case breakdown is: Lanark County East 445 cases (three active), Lanark County West 458 cases (14 active), Leeds-Grenville Central 249 cases (five active), Leeds-Grenville East 406 cases (eight active), Leeds-Grenville West 226 cases (eight active) and Unknown/Out of Region 25 cases (zero active).
- Vaccines: Ontario 22,748,337 (+15,040, last update Nov. 17); EOHU 334,407 (last update Nov. 17, +492 from previous update Nov. 16); 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).
- The federal government is reportedly going to announce on Friday, changes to travel requirements. According to CBC News, the molecular test requirement will be dropped for people making short trips across the border for less than 72 hours. Longer international trips will still require the molecular test.
- The Upper Canada District School Board announced new COVID-19 cases associated with CCVS in Cornwall and Chimo Elementary School in Smiths Falls. The board says there was more than one case at CCVS and one of the cases was not at school while infectious. Both schools are running normally.
- Smiths Falls has put a vaccination policy in place for municipal government workers. Those unvaccinated will be given up to one month of unpaid leave before they could be fired. Employees have to be fully vaccinated by the new year.
- The top doctor in the Yukon says coronavirus cases appear to be levelling off after a spike this month. New daily cases are around 30. While the count is high, the infection curve looks to be flattening.
- With 62 new cases and two more deaths Wednesday, Manitoba Chief Public Health Officer Dr. Brent Roussin says it’s too early to say whether more restrictions will need to be put in place ahead of the holidays.
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