Here are the latest local, regional and national headlines on the novel coronavirus (COVID-19) for Tuesday, December 8, 2020:
- There have been 129,234 confirmed cases of COVID-19 across Ontario, an increase of 1,925 (or 1.5 per cent) from the previous day. There are 109,402 people recovered from the virus while 3,798 people have died. The number of Ontario people tested is 6,626,589 of which 31,238 have pending results.
- Canada’s coronavirus case total is 423,054. The country has 12,777 deaths from the virus – one in the Yukon, 527 in British Columbia, 631 in Alberta, 60 in Saskatchewan, 407 in Manitoba, 3,798 in Ontario, 7,277 in Quebec, seven in New Brunswick, four in Newfoundland & Labrador and 65 in Nova Scotia.
- The Leeds, Grenville and Lanark District Health Unit added 23 new COVID-19 cases on Monday to bring the regional total to 530 confirmed cases, of which 36 are active (14 more than Friday) and 441 are recovered (nine more than Friday). The person who was in hospital, in the ICU on a ventilator, has been released. The number of deaths to date is 53. There are two active institutional outbreaks. The community case breakdown is: Leeds-Grenville East (13 active), Leeds-Grenville Central (three active), Leeds-Grenville West (eight active), Lanark County West (six active) and Lanark County East (four active).
- The situation has worsened at St. Edward Catholic School in Westport. The Catholic District School Board of Eastern Ontario updated its stats Monday to show there are now “greater than five cases” at the school. The number of active cases in Western Leeds-Grenville jumped from three on Friday to eight on Monday, suggesting there are five cases. One is confirmed as a staff member, according to provincial data. The school remains closed. The health unit declared an outbreak at the school over the weekend.
- With the outbreak in Westport, the Community Emergency Control Group has recommended that all municipal buildings in the village be closed for two weeks. Mayor Robin Jones issued an emergency order Monday to make it happen immediately. The closure is in effect until Dec. 21.
- There been a confirmed case of COVID-19 at Lyn Public School. The health unit is tracing for high risk contacts. There’s been no change to the school operations.
- The Eastern Ontario Health Unit region added 36 newly confirmed cases on Monday to bring the regional total to 978 confirmed cases, of which 213 are active (35 more than Friday) and 734 are resolved (zero more than Friday). There were 18 in Prescott-Russell, 14 in Cornwall and four in SD&G. The number of deaths to date is 31. Six people are in hospital. There are seven active outbreaks (three more than Friday). Testing increased by 630 to 85,831.
- Prime Minister Justin Trudeau says, pending Health Canada approval, the country will receive its first doses (up to 249,000) of the Pfizer COVID-19 vaccine as early as next week. That’s earlier than the originally anticipated timeline of January.
- The Ontario COVID-19 Vaccine Distribution Task Force has identified key populations who will get the vaccine first when shipments start arriving. They are residents, staff, essential caregivers and other employees in congregate living settings, health care workers, adults in Indigenous communities and adults receiving chronic home health care. Hot spot areas will be prioritized.
- Manitoba is telling its snowbird population to cancel plans to fly south for the winter. Chief Public Health Officer Dr. Brent Roussin says the risk is too high. Manitoba had 325 new infections and 12 more deaths reported Monday.
- Three members of the Toronto Raptors basketball team have tested positive for COVID-19. The players are separated from the rest of the team and are self-isolating at their training camp in Tampa, Fla.
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.