Newswatch COVID-19 Digest: Wednesday January 12, 2022

Here are the latest local, regional and national coronavirus headlines (COVID-19) for Wednesday, January 12, 2022:

  • Public Health Ontario reported 21 new deaths on Tuesday, bringing the total to 10,399. There are 3,220 people in hospital (all hospitals reporting), 477 in ICU (up 39 from the previous day) and 250 on a ventilator (up 16 from the previous day). Although PHO reported 7,951 new cases Tuesday, the statistic is likely lower than the number of infections given the limited testing in Ontario. The total case count is 896,248 cases.
  • Canada’s coronavirus case total (as of 9 a.m. Jan. 11) is 2,595,960. The country has 30,862 deaths from the virus – 15 in the Yukon, 12 in the Northwest Territories, four in Nunavut, 2,446 in British Columbia, 3,344 in Alberta, 961 in Saskatchewan, 1,427 in Manitoba, 10,378 in Ontario, 11,966 in Quebec, 172 in New Brunswick, 23 in Newfoundland & Labrador and 114 in Nova Scotia.
  • The Eastern Ontario Health Unit had 113 newly reported cases Tuesday to bring the regional total to 10,767 confirmed cases, of which 3,289 are active (78 more than Monday) and 7,341 are resolved (33 more than Monday). Due to limited testing, the numbers of cases locally are likely higher than what is being reported. Two deaths were added Tuesday, bringing the total to 137. There are 24 people in hospital (21 fewer than Monday) and five in the ICU (two more than Monday). There are 42 institutional outbreaks (10 more than Monday; 39 long-term care or group homes and three daycare centers). Testing increased 73 to 181,995. The breakdown of cases is: Prescott-Russell 4,207 cases (1,383 active), SD&G 2,620 cases (863 active), Cornwall 3,250 cases (1,022 active) and Akwesasne (ON/QC) 690 cases (21 active)(Akwesasne health department reported 12 new cases Tuesday: 727 cases, 20 active, 12 deaths to date).
  • The Leeds, Grenville and Lanark District Health Unit added 36 cases Tuesday to bring the regional total to 4,640 cases, of which 1,719 are active (21 more than Monday) and 2,854 are recovered (15 more than Monday). Due to limited testing, the numbers of cases locally are likely higher than what is being reported. The number of deaths to date is 67. There are 18 people in hospital (no change from Monday), six in the ICU (one more than Monday) and none on a ventilator (no change from Monday). There are nine active institutional outbreaks (Kemptville Retirement Living (new), Carleton Place Terrace (new), St. Lawrence Lodge (new), Fairview Manor, Rosebridge Manor, Perth Community Care, Brockville Mental Health Center, Bridlewood Manor, Lanark Lodge). The community case breakdown is: Lanark County East 878 cases (325 active), Lanark County West 934 cases (314 active), Leeds-Grenville Central 809 cases (325 active), Leeds-Grenville East 985 cases (406 active), Leeds-Grenville West 727 cases (304 active) and Unknown/Out of Region 93 cases (45 active).
  • Vaccines: Ontario 28,693,247 (+141,693, last update Jan. 11); EOHU 408,804 (last update Jan. 11, +2,056 from previous update Jan. 10); LGL 158,957 individuals living in LGL with first doses, 150,124 with second doses, 57,867 with third doses. (last update Jan. 2, +370 first doses, +136 second doses, +9,964 third doses since previous update Dec. 26).
  • Health Minister Christine Elliott says the province will update its data to distinguish between patients hospitalized due to COVID-19 and those who are in hospital for other reasons and test positive for the virus. During a Tuesday news conference, Elliott says their current data shows 54 per cent of admissions are for COVID-19 and 46 per cent are admitted for other reasons. Eighty-three per cent of COVID-19 intensive care cases are admissions due to the virus. The update will come today (Wednesday).
  • The Ontario government will work with Ontario Health and the College of Nurses of Ontario to put internationally educated nurses in hospitals and long-term care homes to cover staffing shortages. The nurses have already made their applications to work in Ontario and will meet some of their obligations for admission by working under supervision of a regulated provider. Health Minister Christine Elliott says more than 1,200 nurses have already expressed interest.
  • Quebec Premier Francois Legault has announced that adults who refuse to get vaccinated will face a “health contribution” – basically a penalty for refusing to roll up their sleeve. He says it will be “significant” though a dollar figure hasn’t been decided. He suggested $50 or $100 a person was not enough. It wouldn’t apply to those who have a medical exemption. Quebec recorded 62 more deaths from coronavirus on Tuesday.
  • Dr. Bonnie Henry, the British Columbia chief public health officer, says many people who have contracted the Omicron variant are fully vaccinated so their symptoms are relatively mild. Henry is urging people to continue following public health guidelines in order to protect against people ending up in hospital.

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