Here are the latest local, regional and national headlines on the novel coronavirus (COVID-19) for Friday, October 23, 2020:
- There have been 67,527 confirmed cases of COVID-19 across Ontario, an increase of 841 (or 1.3 per cent) from the previous day. There are 58,066 people recovered from the virus while 3,071 people have died. The number of Ontario people tested is 4,785,832 of which 34,784 have pending results.
- Canada’s coronavirus case total is 209,148. The country has 9,862 deaths from the virus – 256 in British Columbia, 296 in Alberta, 25 in Saskatchewan, 47 in Manitoba, 3,071 in Ontario, 6,094 in Quebec, four in New Brunswick, four in Newfoundland & Labrador and 65 in Nova Scotia.
- The Leeds, Grenville and Lanark District Health Unit added two new cases Thursday to bring the regional total to 426 confirmed cases, of which 19 are active and 355 are recovered. The breakdown is: Leeds-Grenville East (four active), Leeds-Grenville Central (two active), Leeds-Grenville West (two active), Lanark County West (two active) and Lanark County East (nine active). One case is hospitalized in the ICU. There have been 52 deaths to date.
- The Eastern Ontario Health Unit region added 19 cases on Thursday to bring the regional total to 476 confirmed cases, 156 active and 306 resolved. There are five people in hospital, one in ICU. There are four institutional outbreaks, one fewer than the previous day. Testing increased by 361 to 71,657.
- Quebec recorded another 1,033 confirmed cases of COVID-19 on Thursday and eight more deaths. The province has recorded more than 1,000 cases, six of the last seven days.
- A program to give asylum seekers working on the front lines during the pandemic permanent residency is still being worked out two months after it was announced. The government is expected to be open for applications in the coming months.
- Canada’s chief public health officer is concerned about the number of people with COVID-19 in hospital given the flu season is starting. Dr. Theresa Tam says around 1,000 Canadians are in hospital – 200 of those in ICU – and the numbers are expected to increase.
- The number of confirmed COVID-19 cases on Canadian First Nation reserves reached 1,000 on Thursday, according to Indigenous Services Canada. There have been 15 deaths.
- Alberta will launch a rapid test pilot project in a couple of weeks which may allow some travellers to avoid quarantine. It will be done at the Calgary airport and a border crossing. Premier Jason Kenney says people who take the rapid test have to agree to get retested in their sixth or seventh day after they return home.
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.