Here are the latest local, regional and national headlines on the novel coronavirus (COVID-19) for Friday, December 11, 2020:
- There have been 134,783 confirmed cases of COVID-19 across Ontario, an increase of 1,983 (or 1.5 per cent) from the previous day. There are 114,679 people recovered from the virus while 3,871 people have died. The number of Ontario people tested is 6,776,142 of which 66,326 have pending results.
- Canada’s coronavirus case total is 442,069. The country has 13,109 deaths from the virus – one in the Yukon, 587 in British Columbia, 666 in Alberta, 75 in Saskatchewan, 451 in Manitoba, 3,871 in Ontario, 7,382 in Quebec, seven in New Brunswick, four in Newfoundland & Labrador and 65 in Nova Scotia.
- The Leeds, Grenville and Lanark District Health Unit added 14 new COVID-19 cases Thursday to bring the regional total to 557 confirmed cases, of which 49 are active (nine more than Wednesday) and 455 are recovered (five more than Wednesday). The number of deaths to date is 53. There are two active institutional outbreaks. The community case breakdown is: Leeds-Grenville East (nine active), Leeds-Grenville Central (nine active), Leeds-Grenville West (19 active), Lanark County West (seven active) and Lanark County East (two active).
- There are 26 cases directly or indirectly associated with a Gananoque car dealership and collision center, according to Kingston’s medical officer of health. Dr. Kieran Moore says there are 14 cases in his district (Kingston, Frontenac, Lennox and Addington) and another 12 in Leeds, Grenville and Lanark. Both health units jointly declared it an outbreak at Gan Chev Buick GMC Cadillac and the CSN Gananoque Collision Center on Wednesday. It’s believed anyone who was at either location between Dec. 2 and Dec. 8 was potentially exposed to the virus.
- The Eastern Ontario Health Unit region added 30 COVID-19 cases Thursday to bring the regional total to 1,057 confirmed cases, of which 284 are active (24 more than Wednesday) and 741 are resolved (five more than Wednesday). The health unit says it has removed 30 cases it added Wednesday to Cornwall’s total and “reassigned” to SD&G where the cases occurred. The number of deaths increased by one to 32. Eight people are in hospital. There are seven active outbreaks. Testing increased by 403 to 87,460.
- The Ontario government has extended its emergency orders until Jan. 20, 2021 under the Reopening Ontario Act. The ROA has been in place since mid-July and allows existing orders to be amended but does not allow new orders to be created.
- The first two COVID-19 vaccine injection sites in Ontario will be at University Health Network in Toronto and The Ottawa Hospital. Premier Doug Ford says the first doses will be administered Tuesday. The shots will be given to health care workers working in long-term care homes and other high risk settings.
- New provincial modelling shows hospital ICU bed use will rise above 200 for the next month, especially if public health rules are relaxed. The modelling also shows that positivity rates seem to be flattening even as case counts rise.
- The U.S. government has endorsed Pfizer’s vaccine, paving the way for a vaccination campaign. A final approval from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration is just days away.
- The Canadian federal government says it will be covering the cost for vaccines and distribution, estimated to be more than $1 billion.
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