Here are the latest local, regional and national headlines on the novel coronavirus (COVID-19) for Monday, November 29, 2021:
- There have been 617,015 confirmed cases of COVID-19 across Ontario, an increase of 964 cases from the previous day (VAX: 498 unvaccinated, 21 partially vaccinated, 396 fully vaccinated, 49 unknown). There were 854 cases on Saturday and 927 on Friday. There have been 600,537 people recovered from the virus while 9,994 have died. The number of Ontario people tested is 19,728,845 of which 11,862 have pending results.
- Canada’s coronavirus case total (as of Friday) is 1,782,171. The country has 29,618 deaths from the virus – 13 in the Yukon, 12 in the Northwest Territories, four in Nunavut, 2,322 in British Columbia, 3,235 in Alberta, 916 in Saskatchewan, 1,305 in Manitoba, 9,991 in Ontario, 11,571 in Quebec, 123 in New Brunswick, 18 in Newfoundland & Labrador and 108 in Nova Scotia.
- The Eastern Ontario Health Unit added 10 cases Friday – one in Prescott-Russell, two in SD&G and seven in Cornwall – to bring the regional total to 6,036 confirmed cases, of which 86 are active (no change from Thursday) and 5,819 are resolved (11 more than Thursday). The number of deaths to date is 131. There are three person in hospital (one more than Thursday) and one in the ICU (no change from Thursday). There are two institutional outbreaks (no change from Thursday). Testing increased 343 to 172,915. The breakdown of cases is: Prescott-Russell 2,281 cases (six active), SD&G 1,405 cases (26 active), Cornwall 1,837 cases (35 active) and Akwesasne (ON/QC) 513 cases (19 active)(Akwesasne health department reported three new cases Friday: 552 total cases, 21 active, nine deaths to date).
- The Leeds, Grenville and Lanark District Health Unit added six cases Friday to bring the regional total to 2,067 confirmed cases, of which 28 are active (no change from Thursday) and 1,975 are recovered (six more than Thursday). The number of deaths to date is 64. There are two people in hospital (two fewer than Thursday) and none in the ICU (one fewer than Thursday). There are no active institutional outbreaks. The community case breakdown is: Lanark County East 446 cases (zero active), Lanark County West 472 cases (seven active), Leeds-Grenville Central 261 cases (eight active), Leeds-Grenville East 414 cases (four active), Leeds-Grenville West 240 cases (nine active) and Unknown/Out of Region 27 cases (zero active).
- Vaccines: Ontario 22,928,466 (+33,249, last update Nov. 28); EOHU 337,675 (last update Nov. 26, +707 from previous update Nov. 25); LGL 151,636 individuals living in LGL with first doses, 147,919 with second doses, 5,393 with third doses. (last update Nov. 23, +307 first doses, +606 second doses, +1,411 third doses since previous update Nov. 16).
- It appears partially vaccinated people in the Eastern Ontario Health Unit area – those with a first dose but never got their second – are an issue with the spread of coronavirus in the region. The regional health unit put out a special plea Friday asking those individuals to get their second shot.
- The World Health Organization says a new COVID-19 variant of concern found in southern Africa is highly transmissible. It’s already been given a name – omicron – the 15th letter of the Greek alphabet. The Canadian government has banned entry of foreign nationals who have travelled through seven countries in southern Africa in the last two weeks. Those who have already arrived in Canada in the last two weeks will have to quarantine and get tested and stay isolated until they receive a negative test result.
- It didn’t take long before the first confirmed cases of the omicron variant popped up in this country. Provincial health officials say two people from Ottawa, who had been to Nigeria, tested positive. The patients are in isolation and Ottawa Public Health is doing contact tracing.
- The Netherlands has moved to tougher lockdowns with bars, restaurants and non-essential stores closed between 5 p.m. and 5 a.m. The measures took effect yesterday (Sunday) as at least 13 travelers at the Amsterdam Airport on Friday tested positive for the omicron variant.
- The health unit for the Kingston area introduced new restrictions on private household gatherings. The Kingston, Frontenac, Lennox & Addington Public Health is limiting gatherings to 10 people. The health unit has also brought back the colour-coded risk level system – the region is in the red zone.
- The Upper Canada District School Board reported new coronavirus cases associated with three schools in Cornwall, one in Ingleside and one in Smiths Falls. They are Bridgewood, Central Public, CCVS, Rothwell-Osnabruck and Smiths Falls District & Collegiate. All schools are running normally.
- There are signs south of the border about a potential winter surge of COVID-19. Thirty-five U.S. states and the District of Columbia reported cases were up 10 per cent in the last two weeks.
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