Here are the latest local, regional and national headlines on the novel coronavirus (COVID-19) for Wednesday, June 24, 2020:
- There have been 33,853 confirmed cases of COVID-19 across Ontario, an increase of 216 (or 0.6 per cent) from the previous day. There are 29,107 people recovered from the virus while 2,619 people have died. The number of Ontario people tested is 1,212,816 of which 16,418 have pending results.
- Canada’s coronavirus case total is 101,963. The country has 8,454 deaths from the virus – 170 in British Columbia, 153 in Alberta, 13 in Saskatchewan, seven in Manitoba, 2,619 in Ontario, 5,424 in Quebec, two in New Brunswick, three in Newfoundland & Labrador and 63 in Nova Scotia.
- The Leeds, Grenville and Lanark District Health Unit area stands at 352 confirmed cases and 52 deaths with 299 cases (99 per cent) resolved. There have been 53 community cases in Leeds-Grenville with no active cases.
- Testing in the Eastern Ontario Health Unit area jumped by 738 on Tuesday to 13,278 tests. The regional total of confirmed positives remains at 163 with 135 resolved. Two people in hospital, one in ICU and there have been 11 deaths to date.
- Premier Doug Ford and Education Minister Stephen Lecce announced a new “back to basics” elementary math curriculum including financial literacy and coding during the daily coronavirus briefing at Queen’s Park. Standardized testing (EQAO) is also being cancelled for grades three and six through the 2020-2021 school year as the testing is aligned with the new lessons. The last time the math lessons were updated was 2005.
- The federal government’s bean counter estimates it will cost nearly $18 billion to extend the Canada Emergency Response Benefit for eight weeks. Parliamentary budget officer Yves Giroux estimates the entire program will cost $71 billion – far more than the original budget of $60 billion.
- A Leger marketing poll shows 43 per cent of Canadians surveyed believe the first wave of COVID-19 is over. Nearly three-quarters believe there will be a second wave. Half are very or somewhat worried about getting sick from the virus.
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.