Here are the latest local, regional and national headlines on the novel coronavirus (COVID-19) for Wednesday, November 18, 2020:
- There have been 96,745 confirmed cases of COVID-19 across Ontario, an increase of 1,249 (or 1.3 per cent) from the previous day. There are 80,430 people recovered from the virus while 3,383 people have died. The number of Ontario people tested is 5,703,741 of which 25,435 have pending results.
- Canada’s coronavirus case total is 306,468. The country has 11,086 deaths from the virus – one in the Yukon, 310 in British Columbia, 432 in Alberta, 31 in Saskatchewan, 179 in Manitoba, 3,383 in Ontario, 6,675 in Quebec, six in New Brunswick, four in Newfoundland & Labrador and 65 in Nova Scotia.
- The Leeds, Grenville and Lanark District Health Unit added one case Tuesday to bring the regional total to 478 confirmed cases, of which 14 are active and 411 are recovered. There are three people in hospital, two of them in ICU and one on a ventilator. The community case breakdown is: Leeds-Grenville East (seven active), Leeds-Grenville Central (zero active), Leeds-Grenville West (two active), Lanark County West (zero active) and Lanark County East (five active). The total number of deaths is 53. There are no active institutional outbreaks.
- The Eastern Ontario Health Unit area added four Tuesday to bring the regional total to 770 confirmed cases, of which 132 are active and 608 are resolved. There have been 29 deaths associated with the virus. One death was removed because it didn’t meet the criteria as a COVID-19 related death. Seven people are in hospital. There are six active institutional outbreaks. Testing increased by 627 to 79,522.
- St. Lawrence College says the federal and provincial governments have approved its COVID-19 readiness plan. That will allow international students to come to the local campuses because the plan spells out how the college will handle their quarantine once they arrive in Canada. SLC has campuses in Kingston, Brockville and Cornwall.
- When it comes to snow days this winter, the Upper Canada District School Board will close its schools completely. Previously, students would be welcomed at school if they were dropped off by parents during the days buses were cancelled. Because students would be combined or blended from different classrooms, that’s not possible with COVID-19.
- The provincial government is expanding mental health services to the justice system. Premier Doug Ford and Mental Health and Addictions Associate Minister Michael Tibollo announced $37 million for various areas, including $6.5 million for mobile crisis services, $5 million for safe bed programs for mobile crisis teams and $14 million for supportive housing programs.
- Cases in the Yukon remain at 24, prompting the territory’s chief medical officer of health to describe parts of the territory as being in the eye of a global COVID cyclone. Most of the cases have been linked to travel with no signs of community spread.
- A 22-year-old driver stands accused of claiming he had COVID-19 to get out of a traffic ticket on Highway 401 near Napanee. When the O.P.P. said they were calling in paramedics, that’s when they fessed up. Not only was the driver charged under the Highway Traffic Act but they also were slapped with a charge of obstruction under the Quarantine Act.
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.