Here are the latest local, regional and national headlines on the novel coronavirus (COVID-19) for Tuesday, November 30, 2021:
- There have been 617,803 confirmed cases of COVID-19 across Ontario, an increase of 788 cases from the previous day (VAX: 412 unvaccinated, 27 partially vaccinated, 315 fully vaccinated, 34 unknown). There have been 600,990 people recovered from the virus while 9,997 have died. The number of Ontario people tested is 19,754,861 of which 9,376 have pending results.
- Canada’s coronavirus case total is 1,790,142. The country has 29,670 deaths from the virus – 13 in the Yukon, 12 in the Northwest Territories, four in Nunavut, 2,333 in British Columbia, 3,242 in Alberta, 926 in Saskatchewan, 1,315 in Manitoba, 9,997 in Ontario, 11,576 in Quebec, 124 in New Brunswick, 18 in Newfoundland & Labrador and 110 in Nova Scotia.
- The Eastern Ontario Health Unit added 45 cases over the weekend – two in Prescott-Russell, 15 in SD&G and 28 in Cornwall – to bring the regional total Monday to 6,081 confirmed cases, of which 113 are active (27 more than Friday) and 5,837 are resolved (18 more than Friday). The number of deaths to date is 131. There is no one in hospital (three fewer than Friday) and none in the ICU (one fewer than Friday). There is one institutional outbreak (one fewer than Friday). Testing increased 254 to 173,169. The breakdown of cases is: Prescott-Russell 2,283 cases (seven active), SD&G 1,420 cases (37 active), Cornwall 1,865 cases (50 active) and Akwesasne (ON/QC) 513 cases (19 active)(Akwesasne health department reported four new cases Monday: 557 total cases, 13 active, nine deaths to date).
- The Leeds, Grenville and Lanark District Health Unit added seven cases over the weekend to bring the regional total Monday to 2,074 confirmed cases, of which 23 are active (five fewer than Friday) and 1,987 are recovered (12 more than Friday). The number of deaths to date is 64. There are two people in hospital (no change from Friday) and none in the ICU (no change from Friday). There are no active institutional outbreaks. The community case breakdown is: Lanark County East 447 cases (one active), Lanark County West 475 cases (five active), Leeds-Grenville Central 262 cases (six active), Leeds-Grenville East 415 cases (five active), Leeds-Grenville West 241 cases (six active) and Unknown/Out of Region 27 cases (zero active).
- Vaccines: Ontario 22,950,908 (+22,442, last update Nov. 29); EOHU 339,023 (last update Nov. 29, +1,348 from previous update Nov. 26); 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).
- The Eastern Ontario Health Unit will start regular briefing with reporters starting next week. Medical Officer of Health Dr. Paul Roumeliotis says they haven’t set a specific date and time yet but it will be early in the week.
- A large addition of COVID-19 cases in Cornwall over the weekend are “driven by one outbreak that we have in a manufacturer,” Roumeliotis said Monday. That and another “small outbreak” account for 34 of the 45 new cases announced Monday while the balance are “related” to them such as household contacts and small children. The doctor says most of those cases are unvaccinated people.
- Of the 45 cases added to the EOHU area over the weekend, 16 were in people 19 years old or younger and it included some “younger babies.” Roumeliotis says most of them caught it from older, unvaccinated people in the same home.
- The EOHU is “following up” after getting an email notice from senior health officials about three people possibility exposed to the Omicron B.1.1.529 variant. They had returned from areas flagged for the latest strain of COVID-19. But Roumeliotis says the Delta variant remains the major threat right now. “That’s the major threat at this time.” He says all but two of Ontario’s cases on Monday were the Delta variant, first discovered in India (B.1.617.2).
- The provincial government is following up on four more possible cases of the Omicron variant. Two are in Hamilton and two are in Ottawa. That’s in addition to the two cases in Ottawa announced Sunday. Ontario Chief Medical Officer of Health Dr. Kieran Moore says health units are reaching out to 375 people who have recently returned from high risk countries in southern Africa.
- Quebec has announced its first confirmed case of the Omicron variant. Health Minister Christian Dube announced the case Monday at a news conference. The province has had around 115 people return from regions of concern – mostly in southern Africa – and Dube says they’ve been asked to take a PCR test and to isolate.
- The newest variant of concern is refueling old conspiracy theories on social media. The posts falsely claim the Omicron variant is a cover-up and made up by U.S. President Joe Biden to scare citizens. So far there have been no confirmed cases of Omicron in the United States.
- Singer Bryan Adams – still quarantining in a hotel in Italy – unveiled a promotional calendar that he photographed. This was the second time Adams has tested positive for the virus.
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