Here are the latest local, regional and national headlines on the novel coronavirus (COVID-19) for Saturday, August 15, 2020:
- There have been 40,459 confirmed cases of COVID-19 across Ontario, an increase of 92 (or 0.2 per cent) from the previous day. There are 36,772 people recovered from the virus while 2,788 people have died. The number of Ontario people tested is 2,528,403 of which 35,426 have pending results.
- Canada’s coronavirus case total is 121,652. The country has 9,020 deaths from the virus – 196 in British Columbia, 221 in Alberta, 20 in Saskatchewan, eight in Manitoba, 2,788 in Ontario, 5,718 in Quebec, two in New Brunswick, three in Newfoundland & Labrador and 64 in Nova Scotia.
- No changes in the Leeds, Grenville and Lanark District Health Unit area Thursday with 356 confirmed cases, 52 deaths and 304 recoveries.
- A newly confirmed case in the United Counties of Stormont, Dundas and Glengarry (SD&G) brought the regional total of positive cases in Eastern Ontario Health Unit region to 180. Of those, two more were resolved Friday, bringing the total number of recovered to 165. Testing increased by 440 to 34,155. One person remains in hospital. Eleven deaths to date.
- The restrictions for non-essential travel at the Canada-U.S. border will continue for another month. Federal Public Safety Minister Bill Blair announced Friday that it will be closed to non-essential travel until at least Sept. 21. It’s been closed since March 21.
- Premier Doug Ford announced that gyms and recreation centers, like yoga studios and dance studios, will be able increase capacity limits to 50 people per room with physical distancing limits in place. That will allow more people to return to work and also get more Ontarians active and healthy. The increased capacity starts today (Saturday). The province also announced $8 million for the Ontario Amateur Sports Fund to allow kids and amateur athletes to get “back to the sports they love,” Ford said.
- The Upper Canada District School Board released its plan for the upcoming school year with coronavirus safety measures in place. Read that story here.
- Canada’s chief public health officer is warning there could be a fall peak of COVID-19. Dr. Theresa Tam says modelling data shows a resurgence is possible in conjunction with the fall flu season. The virus will have a slow burn that could last until January 2022, Tam added.
- Toronto health officials say as many as 550 people may have been exposed to coronavirus at a downtown strip club that wasn’t following public health guidelines. An employee tested positive for the virus.
- Manitoba’s chief public health officer believes some people are losing sight of the fundamentals such as social distancing and wearing masks in indoor public spaces. The province had 40 new COVID-19 cases on Friday.
- A specific group of asylum seekers known as “Guardian Angels,” who have been working in the Canadian health care sector, will be provided residency status. The normal asylum claim wait time before becoming permanent residents is being waived.
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.