Here are the latest local, regional and national coronavirus headlines (COVID-19) for Wednesday, February 9, 2022:
- Public Health Ontario reported 42 deaths on Tuesday, bringing the total to 11,878. There are 2,254 people in hospital (all hospitals reporting), 474 in ICU (down 12 from the previous day) and 289 on a ventilator (up six from the previous day). Although PHO reported 2,092 new cases Tuesday, the statistic is likely lower than the number of infections given the limited testing in Ontario. The total case count is 1,058,241.
- Canada’s coronavirus case total (as of 9 a.m. Feb. 8) is 3,140,025. The country has 34,847 deaths from the virus – 20 in the Yukon, 17 in the Northwest Territories, five in Nunavut, 2,707 in British Columbia, 3,673 in Alberta, 1,012 in Saskatchewan, 1,600 in Manitoba, 11,836 in Ontario, 13,495 in Quebec, 263 in New Brunswick, 12 in PEI, 46 in Newfoundland & Labrador and 161 in Nova Scotia.
- The Eastern Ontario Health Unit had 24 people in hospital Tuesday (four fewer than Monday) with five in the ICU (one fewer than Monday). The number of deaths to date is 173 (one more than Monday). There are 29 (two fewer than Monday). Test positivity from limited testing in high-risk populations is 17.9 per cent (down 2.4 per cent from Monday). Public Health Ontario says the cumulative case total for the region as of Tuesday is 12,988.
- The Akwesasne health department reported one new PCR confirmed case Tuesday: 783 cases, two active, 12 deaths to date.
- In its Monday report, the Leeds, Grenville and Lanark District Health Unit has 14 people in hospital (one more than Friday), seven in the ICU (no change from Friday) and two on a ventilator (no change from Friday). The number of deaths to date is 79 (no change from Friday). There were 140 cases added since Friday but due to limited testing, the number of cases locally is likely higher than what is being reported. Local case numbers are updated Monday, Wednesday and Friday. Public Health Ontario says the cumulative case count for the region as of Tuesday is 6,013. There are 12 lab-confirmed outbreaks in congregate care, communal living and other facilities (five fewer than Friday). A partial list of active .
- Vaccines: Ontario 31,064,758 (+39,608, last update Feb. 8); EOHU 451,904 (last update Feb. 8, +453 from previous update Feb. 7); LGL 161,592 individuals living in LGL with first doses, 154,345 with second doses, 99,725 with third doses. (last update Feb. 6, +324 first doses, +1,272 second doses, +2,680 third doses since previous update Jan. 30).
- A Liberal MP has called on his government to reexamine COVID-19 policies. Joel Lightbound is the first member of his party to be at odds with Prime Minister Justin Trudeau. While condemning the far right elementary of the so-called Freedom Convoy, Lightbound says not everyone who opposes vaccine mandates is a white supremacist or is part of an extremist group.
- Traffic was snarled Tuesday at another Canada-U.S. border crossing – this time at the Ambassador Bridge between Windsor and Detroit. White House press secretary Jen Psaki says the Biden administration has talk to Canadian officials about the ongoing trucker protests that are shutting down or slowing traffic between the two countries.
- With Ottawa spending around $2 million a day to police the trucker protest, federal officials have been talking with them about finding solutions to end the demonstration immobilizing the downtown core. A request to the Ontario Solicitor General has been shared with the Ontario Provincial Police.
- A trucker demonstration near Coutts, Alta. is into its 11th day and the RCMP admits it will be no easy task to remove those big rigs. The protest continues to bind up traffic at the Canada-U.S. border crossing.
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