Here are the latest local, regional and national headlines on the novel coronavirus (COVID-19) for Wednesday, April 15, 2020:
- There have been 7,953 confirmed cases of COVID-19 across Ontario, an increase of 483 cases (or 6.5 per cent) from the previous day. There are 3,568 people recovered from the virus while 334 people have died. The number of Ontario people tested is 113,082 of which 2,107 have pending results.
- Canada’s confirmed and presumptive COVID-19 case total is 27,063. The country has 903 COVID-19 related deaths – 72 in British Columbia, 48 in Alberta, four in Saskatchewan, four in Manitoba, 334 in Ontario, 435 in Quebec, three in Newfoundland & Labrador and three in Nova Scotia.
- Leeds, Grenville and Lanark added another 30 cases and now has 206 confirmed positive COVID-19 cases in the tri-county area. Fifty-five per cent of all the cases are in long term care homes. There are 25 deaths – 11 more than Monday. Twenty-two of those deaths have been in long term care homes while another three were in the community.
- The province is extending its emergency declaration another 28 days until May 12. The declaration allows the government to enforce the current emergency orders regarding closure of non-essential businesses, outdoor parks and recreational areas, bars and restaurants and limits on social gatherings of more than five people.
- Premier Doug Ford says children won’t be going back to school on May 4. But it doesn’t mean the rest of the school year is cancelled. Education Minister Stephen Lecce will outline details in the next couple of days.
- The federal government has added some flexibility for when people get a ticket for not obeying a 14-day quarantine order. If RCMP, local police or the O.P.P. give a ticket, the recipient can pay it voluntarily, avoiding a trial or a criminal record. It doesn’t stop police from pursuing criminal charges if they feel the case is serious enough to warrant a Criminal Code charge.
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.