Here are the latest local, regional and national headlines on the novel coronavirus (COVID-19) for Monday, February 8, 2021:
- There have been 278,207 confirmed cases of COVID-19 across Ontario, an increase of 1,489 (or 0.5 per cent) from the previous day. There are 256,903 people recovered from the virus while 6,505 people have died. The number of Ontario people tested is 10,026,022 of which 16,539 have pending results.
- Canada’s coronavirus case total is 804,260. The country has 20,767 deaths from the virus – one in the Yukon, one in Nunavut, 1,246 in British Columbia, 1,709 in Alberta, 339 in Saskatchewan, 846 in Manitoba, 6,505 in Ontario, 10,031 in Quebec, 20 in New Brunswick, four in Newfoundland & Labrador and 65 in Nova Scotia.
- With 32 additional deaths reported Sunday, Quebec surpassed the 10,000 mark for deaths during the pandemic. The province also has passed the 270,000 case mark.
- The Leeds, Grenville and Lanark District Health Unit stands at 826 confirmed cases, of which 24 are active and 748 are recovered. Fifty-four people have died to date. There is one person in hospital in the ICU. There is one active institutional outbreak (Rosebridge Manor). The community case breakdown is: Lanark County East 146 cases (five active), Lanark County West 149 cases (six active), Leeds-Grenville Central 91 cases (five active), Leeds-Grenville East 120 cases (two active) and Leeds-Grenville West 119 cases (five active). (The health unit doesn’t update statistics on weekends)
- The Eastern Ontario Health Unit stands at 2,581 confirmed cases, of which 219 are active and 2,302 are resolved. There have been 60 deaths and 23 people are in hospital. There are 12 active institutional outbreaks. Testing is at 103,922. (The health unit doesn’t update statistics on weekends)
- The province is extending emergency child care to frontline workers in the hot spots of Toronto, York and Peel, starting Tuesday. That will include construction workers on essential projects and transit workers who are not working remotely. Students in those areas won’t be returning to class until Feb. 16.
- The first case of a Brazilian variant of COVID-19 has shown up in Toronto. The local health unit says the person has recently returned from the country and is now hospitalized. Toronto also has its first case of the South African variant, although that strain has shown up in other areas of the province.
- With the virus a problem in nursing homes and hospices, more Americans are making the decision to have their terminally ill loved one die at home. A hospice organization says they are seeing double-digit percentage increases in patients being cared for at home.
- Pope Francis is again greeting pilgrims in St. Peter’s Square from his balcony although the crowds only amount to a few hundred – well spaced apart.
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