Newswatch COVID-19 Digest: Saturday January 30, 2021

Here are the latest local, regional and national headlines on the novel coronavirus (COVID-19) for Saturday, January 30, 2021:

  • There have been 264,300 confirmed cases of COVID-19 across Ontario, an increase of 1,837 (or 0.7 per cent) from the previous day. There are 237,871 people recovered from the virus while 6,072 people have died. The number of Ontario people tested is 9,564,571 of which 40,453 have pending results.
  • Canada’s coronavirus case total is 770,793. The country has 19,801 deaths from the virus – one in the Yukon, one in Nunavut, 1,189 in British Columbia, 1,620 in Alberta, 292 in Saskatchewan, 823 in Manitoba, 6,072 in Ontario, 9,717 in Quebec, 17 in New Brunswick, four in Newfoundland & Labrador and 65 in Nova Scotia.
  • The Leeds, Grenville and Lanark District Health Unit added five newly confirmed cases Friday to bring the regional total to 805 confirmed cases. Of those, 20 are active (four more than Thursday) and 731 are recovered (one more than Thursday). The number of deaths to date is 54. There is one person in hospital in the ICU. There are no active institutional outbreaks. The community case breakdown is: Lanark County East 140 cases (seven active), Lanark County West 146 cases (nine active), Leeds-Grenville Central 85 cases (two active), Leeds-Grenville East 119 cases (one active) and Leeds-Grenville West 114 cases (one active).
  • The Eastern Ontario Health Unit added 31 newly confirmed cases Friday to bring the regional total to 2,472. They were four in Prescott-Russell, seven in SD&G, 11 in Cornwall and nine in Akwesasne. Of those, 410 are active (six fewer than Thursday) and 2,010 are resolved (37 more than Thursday). The number of deaths is at 52. There are 24 people in hospital (no change), including six in ICU (one more than Thursday). There are 18 active institutional outbreaks. Testing increased by 357 to 102,003.
  • Canadian flights to the Caribbean and Mexico are being cancelled starting Sunday until the end of April. Incoming international flights will only be able to land in Vancouver, Calgary, Toronto or Montreal. Prime Minister Justin Trudeau made the announcement Friday saying people already at those destinations will be contacted by airlines to make arrangements to get back to Canada. People returning will have to take a COVID-19 PCR test at the airport and stay in a designated hotel for three days at their own expense (the PM estimates over $2,000), before finishing their isolation at home or going to a government facility if they test positive.
  • Premier Doug Ford says he welcomes the new measures from the federal government. Ford added that mandatory testing for COVID-19 variants will start Monday at noon for all international travellers returning to Canada. Chief Medical Officer of Health Dr. David Williams is expected to issue a standing order (Section 22). Health Minister Christine Elliott says if travellers refuse to be tested they will be given a ticket, which starts at $750.
  • Prime Minister Trudeau says Canada will be getting fewer Moderna vaccines than expected in the next shipment. It will be 78 per cent of the expected amount – or around 180,000 doses. The PM says he was told by the Pfizer CEO that Canada will get its promised four million doses by the end of March.
  • New Brunswick recorded its 17th death of the pandemic Friday after a person in their 80s died at a long-term care facility in Edmundston – a region that has been under lockdown since last Sunday due to a surge in cases.
  • Alberta will be easing some restrictions a week from Monday (Feb. 8). Indoor fitness centers, school sports and bars and restaurants will see some restrictions lifted but there will still be masking and capacity limits in place.

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.