Here are the latest local, regional and national coronavirus headlines (COVID-19) for Thursday, March 10, 2022:
- Public Health Ontario reported 20 deaths Wednesday to bring the total to 12,618. Day to day change was 27 as seven old cases were added through data clean-up. There are 751 people in hospital (all hospitals reporting), 241 in ICU (down five from the previous day) and 132 on a ventilator (down nine the previous day). Although PHO reported 1,947 new cases Wednesday, the statistic is likely lower than the number of infections given the limited testing in Ontario. The total case count is 1,117,439.
- Canada’s coronavirus case total (as of 9 a.m. March 9) is 3,335,678. The country has 37,094 deaths from the virus – 22 in the Yukon, 19 in the Northwest Territories, five in Nunavut, 2,915 in British Columbia, 3,979 in Alberta, 1,135 in Saskatchewan, 1,700 in Manitoba, 12,591 in Ontario, 14,120 in Quebec, 312 in New Brunswick, 16 in PEI, 68 in Newfoundland & Labrador and 212 in Nova Scotia.
- There are three people in hospital in the Eastern Ontario Health Unit area as of Wednesday (no change from Tuesday) with zero in the ICU (no change from Tuesday). The number of deaths to date is 202, one more than Tuesday. There are two (one more than Tuesday). Test positivity from limited testing in high-risk populations is 11.5 per cent (no change from Tuesday). Public Health Ontario says the cumulative case total for the region as of Wednesday is 13,779.
- In its Wednesday report, the Leeds, Grenville and Lanark District Health Unit has six people in hospital (no change from Monday), four in the ICU (one more than Monday) and two on a ventilator (no change from Monday). The number of deaths to date is 84 (one more than Monday). There were 40 cases added since Monday 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 Wednesday is 6,895. There are four lab-confirmed outbreaks in congregate care, communal living and other facilities (no change from Monday). A partial list of active .
- Vaccines: Ontario 31,821,019 (+13,764, last update March 9); EOHU 460,149 (last update March 9, +116 from previous update March 8); LGL 162,178 individuals living in LGL with first doses, 157,104 with second doses, 105,105 with third doses, 2,163 with fourth doses. (last update March 6, +40 first doses, +289 second doses, +460 third doses, +211 fourth doses since previous update Feb. 27).
- In St. Lawrence County, New York (which includes Massena, Potsdam and Canton), there were 42 newly reported cases Wednesday. The active case count went up by 15 to 176. There are five people in the hospital, two fewer than Tuesday. There have been 180 deaths to date, one more than Tuesday. Just over 60 per cent of the county population is fully vaccinated. The positivity rate is 4.1 per cent compared to 1.5 per cent across New York State.
- The Ontario government is removing mask mandates in most settings, including schools, in less than two weeks. The mandate will end March 21 while other public health measures will cease about a month later on April 27. The province says a combination of factors – good health indicators, stable test positivity, hospitalization numbers going down, high vaccination rates and antiviral medications now available – went into the decision. Individual organizations will still have the power to keep their own policies in place.
- The union for elementary teachers says the removal of mask mandates is premature. The Elementary Teachers Federation of Ontario says the removing mask rules on March 21 could prolong the pandemic and puts in-person learning at risk. ETFO President Karen Brown suggests the “fast-approaching June election is influencing politicians’ decisions to lift COVID-19 safety measures.”
- The medical officer of health for the Eastern Ontario Health Unit would have liked to see masking continue for schools for at least another few weeks after March 21. Dr. Paul Roumeliotis noted kids will be back in class just after the March break without masks and with no other restrictions.
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