Newswatch COVID-19 Digest: Tuesday June 16, 2020

(LGL Health Unit via Newswatch Group)

Here are the latest local, regional and national headlines on the novel coronavirus (COVID-19) for Tuesday, June 16, 2020:

  • There have been 32,370 confirmed cases of COVID-19 across Ontario, an increase of 181 (or 0.6 per cent) from the previous day. There are 27,213 people recovered from the virus while 2,527 people have died. The number of Ontario people tested is 1,025,500 of which 18,258 have pending results.
  • Canada’s coronavirus case total is 99,147. The country has 8,175 deaths from the virus – 168 in British Columbia, 151 in Alberta, 13 in Saskatchewan, seven in Manitoba, 2,527 in Ontario, 5,242 in Quebec, two in New Brunswick, three in Newfoundland & Labrador and 62 in Nova Scotia.
  • Two people in nursing homes in the Leeds, Grenville and Lanark District Health Unit area died over the weekend, bringing the number of deaths to 52. There are still 351 confirmed cases. There are 294 cases (98 per cent) resolved. For community cases in Leeds-Grenville, there are 23 in the central region (23 resolved), 13 in the west (12 resolved) and 17 in the east (14 resolved).
  • One more person recovered from the virus Monday to bring the total resolved cases in the Eastern Ontario Health Unit area to 131 (83 per cent). There are still 158 confirmed cases. There are two people in hospital, one in ICU. Eleven people have died. Total number of tests performed is 11,611 – 305 more than the previous day.
  • The province is looking to change regulations to collect more data on COVID-19 cases in order to “ensure (it) has a more complete picture of the outbreak.” The government is introducing legislation to have race, income, languages spoken and household size included in questions for individuals who test positive. Giving the information would be voluntary.
  • Prime Minister Justin Trudeau says details are coming next week on a plan to extend the Canada Emergency Response Benefit (CERB). The $2,000 a month benefit for 16 weeks will see many Canadians max out their eligibility soon.
  • Premier Doug Ford announced that some other Ontario regions will move to stage two on Friday. They are Hamilton, Halton, Niagara, Sarnia-Lambton, York, Haldimand-Norfolk and Durham. Remaining at stage one are Peel, Toronto and Windsor-Essex.
  • The provincial government will spend $526,000 from the Ontario Together Fund to allow CSA Group Testing and Certification to expand testing and certifying of personal protective equipment (PPE). The province says there’s no current domestic provider for PPE certification.
  • Quebec will permit indoor gatherings of up to 50 people, starting next Monday (June 22). Social distancing for children 16 years old or younger is also being reduced to one meter (three feet). The province has had over 54,000 cases and 5,242 deaths.
  • European countries are reopening their borders after a three month shutdown, though international visitors are still being kept out.

Have a story or news release related to COVID-19? Send it along for possible inclusion in a future digest on Brockville Newswatch. Email editor@brockvillenewswatch.com. Please put “COVID-19 Digest” in the subject line.