Here are the latest local, regional and national coronavirus headlines (COVID-19) for Thursday, January 13, 2022:
- Public Health Ontario reported 46 new deaths on Wednesday, bringing the total to 10,445. There are 3,448 people in hospital (all hospitals reporting), 505 in ICU (up 28 from the previous day) and 265 on a ventilator (up 15 from the previous day). Although PHO reported 9,783 new cases Wednesday, the statistic is likely lower than the number of infections given the limited testing in Ontario. The total case count is 906,031 cases.
- Canada’s coronavirus case total (as of 9 a.m. Jan. 12) is 2,624,787. The country has 30,957 deaths from the virus – 15 in the Yukon, 12 in the Northwest Territories, four in Nunavut, 2,449 in British Columbia, 3,352 in Alberta, 961 in Saskatchewan, 1,426 in Manitoba, 10,399 in Ontario, 12,028 in Quebec, 173 in New Brunswick, 23 in Newfoundland & Labrador and 115 in Nova Scotia.
- The Eastern Ontario Health Unit had 202 newly reported cases Wednesday to bring the regional total to 10,969 confirmed cases, of which 3,481 are active (192 more than Tuesday) and 7,350 are resolved (nine more than Tuesday). Due to limited testing, the numbers of cases locally are likely higher than what is being reported. Another death was added Wednesday, bringing the total to 138. There are 55 people in hospital (31 more than Tuesday) and eight in the ICU (three more than Tuesday). There are 42 (no change from Tuesday; 39 long-term care or group homes and three daycare centers). Testing increased 197 to 182,192. The breakdown of cases is: Prescott-Russell 4,316 cases (1,484 active), SD&G 2,648 cases (890 active), Cornwall 3,315 cases (1,086 active) and Akwesasne (ON/QC) 690 cases (21 active)(Akwesasne health department reported no new cases Wednesday: 727 cases, 20 active, 12 deaths to date).
- The Leeds, Grenville and Lanark District Health Unit added 54 cases Wednesday to bring the regional total to 4,694 cases, of which 1,761 are active (42 more than Tuesday) and 2,866 are recovered (12 more than Tuesday). 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 Tuesday), five in the ICU (one fewer than Tuesday) and none on a ventilator (no change from Tuesday). There are 10 active . The community case breakdown is: Lanark County East 884 cases (332 active), Lanark County West 943 cases (321 active), Leeds-Grenville Central 828 cases (341 active), Leeds-Grenville East 996 cases (413 active), Leeds-Grenville West 737 cases (310 active) and Unknown/Out of Region 92 cases (43 active).
- Vaccines: Ontario 28,853,124 (+159,877, last update Jan. 12); EOHU 411,712 (last update Jan. 12, +2,368 from previous update Jan. 11); LGL 159,618 individuals living in LGL with first doses, 150,518 with second doses, 72,476 with third doses. (last update Jan. 9, +661 first doses, +394 second doses, +14,609 third doses since previous update Jan. 2).
- The Eastern Ontario Health Unit is seeing a shift in coronavirus cases in long-term care. For more on the story, click here.
- The province has announced more testing and monitoring plans ahead of next week’s start to in-class learning. Ontario Education Minister Lecce announced that each student and teacher will get two rapid tests if they’re symptomatic. As well, parents will be notified of an outbreak with absenteeism in the school reaches a 30 per cent threshold. Lecce also says sick teachers will be replaced with retired or student teachers in order to keep the classrooms running.
- With PCR test at a crisis point in provinces, Federal Health Minister Jean-Yves Duclos says at-home rapid tests are the important tool for fighting the spread of the Omicron variant. The feds have promised to ship 140 million more rapid tests to the provinces by the end of the month.
- The testing site LifeLabs says it’s been forced to close 11 of its 129 B.C. locations due to staff shortages from the Omicron variant. The company says employees from the closed locations will be reassigned to other nearby locations.
- Tennis star Novak Djokovic has acknowledged his declaration to enter Australia had incorrect information. He blamed human error by his support team for failing to declare that he had travelled in the two week window before going to Australia.
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