Here are the latest local, regional and national headlines on the novel coronavirus (COVID-19) for Tuesday, December 14, 2021:
- There have been 633,683 confirmed cases of COVID-19 across Ontario, an increase of 1,536 cases from the previous day (VAX: 601 unvaccinated, 33 partially vaccinated, 809 fully vaccinated, 93 unknown). There have been 612,066 people recovered from the virus while 10,079 have died. The number of Ontario people tested is 20,247,747 of which 15,048 have pending results.
- Canada’s coronavirus case total is 1,840,919. The country has 29,941 deaths from the virus – 14 in the Yukon, 12 in the Northwest Territories, four in Nunavut, 2,386 in British Columbia, 3,275 in Alberta, 937 in Saskatchewan, 1,353 in Manitoba, 10,079 in Ontario, 11,611 in Quebec, 142 in New Brunswick, 18 in Newfoundland & Labrador and 110 in Nova Scotia.
- The Eastern Ontario Health Unit added 35 new cases Monday and 83 old Akwesasne cases through data clean-up to bring the regional total to 6,310 confirmed cases, of which 116 are active (10 more than Friday) and 6,061 are resolved (107 more than Friday). The new cases were 14 in Prescott-Russell, five in SD&G and 16 in Cornwall. There was one more death to bring the total number of deaths to date to 133. There are four people in hospital (one more than Friday) and one in the ICU (no change from Friday). There are no institutional outbreaks. Testing increased 482 to 175,769. The breakdown of cases is: Prescott-Russell 2,324 cases (31 active), SD&G 1,463 cases (24 active), Cornwall 1,927 cases (44 active) and Akwesasne (ON/QC) 596 cases (17 active)(Akwesasne health department added one case Monday: 598 total cases, nine active, nine deaths to date).
- The Leeds, Grenville and Lanark District Health Unit added 96 cases over the weekend to bring the regional total Monday to 2,281 confirmed cases, of which 143 are active (62 more than Friday) and 2,073 are recovered (34 more than Friday). The number of deaths to date is 65. There are two people in hospital (two fewer than Friday) and one in the ICU (no change from Friday). There are no active institutional outbreaks. The community case breakdown is: Lanark County East 463 cases (eight active), Lanark County West 502 cases (22 active), Leeds-Grenville Central 332 cases (43 active), Leeds-Grenville East 438 cases (12 active), Leeds-Grenville West 308 cases (57 active) and Unknown/Out of Region 31 cases (one active).
- Vaccines: Ontario 24,484,692 (+34,966, last update Dec. 13); EOHU 352,697 (last update Dec. 13, +2,587 from previous update Dec. 10); LGL 154,443 individuals living in LGL with first doses, 149,083 with second doses, 11,784 with third doses. (last update Dec. 5, +1,702 first doses, +347 second doses, +3,991 third doses since previous update Nov. 28).
- The Upper Canada school board identified new cases associated with Athens District High School, Beckwith Public School, Central Public School in Cornwall, CCVS, Pineview Public School in Athens, Rideau District High School in Elgin and South Crosby Public School, also in Elgin. All schools are open except South Crosby Public School, which is closed for the entire week (Dec. 13-17).
- The country is in the early stages of transmission of the Omicron variant. Canada’s Chief Public Health Officer Dr. Theresa Tam says the spread of the variant in parts of Ontario will also happen in other parts of the country.
- The medical officers of health for three Eastern Ontario health units have penned a letter to the public to “work together to help slow the growing COVID-19 case count” in order to protect hospital resources. The Kingston Health Sciences Center (KHSC) is said to be at critical capacity levels for ICU patients. The letter was signed by the medical officers for the Kingston, Belleville and Brockville area health units as well as the CEO for KHSC.
- St. Lawrence College is moving final exams to “alternative delivery” starting today (Dec. 14). There will be smaller in-person lab tests at the Cornwall, Brockville and Kingston campuses. The college says students will receive details on their specific program through the Blackboard learning management system.
- The U.S. Supreme Court has refused to halt a vaccination mandate for New York State health care workers. The mandate does not offer a religious exemption – New York is one of three states that does not have the exemption.
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