Newswatch COVID-19 Digest: Wednesday February 10, 2021

Here are the latest local, regional and national headlines on the novel coronavirus (COVID-19) for Wednesday, February 10, 2021:

  • There have been 280,494 confirmed cases of COVID-19 across Ontario, an increase of 1,022 (or 0.4 per cent) from the previous day. There are 259,991 people recovered from the virus while 6,555 people have died. The number of Ontario people tested is 10,085,123 of which 33,273 have pending results.
  • Canada’s coronavirus case total is 810,797. The country has 20,909 deaths from the virus – one in the Yukon, one in Nunavut, 1,263 in British Columbia, 1,722 in Alberta, 346 in Saskatchewan, 853 in Manitoba, 6,555 in Ontario, 10,078 in Quebec, 21 in New Brunswick, four in Newfoundland & Labrador and 65 in Nova Scotia.
  • The Leeds, Grenville and Lanark District Health Unit remained unchanged Tuesday at 830 confirmed cases across the region, of which 12 are active and 764 are recovered. Fifty-four people have died to date. There is one person in hospital in ICU on a ventilator. There is one active institutional outbreak (Rosebridge Manor). The community case breakdown is: Lanark County East 147 cases (three active), Lanark County West 150 cases (three active), Leeds-Grenville Central 93 cases (five active), Leeds-Grenville East 120 cases (zero active) and Leeds-Grenville West 119 cases (one active).
  • The Eastern Ontario Health Unit area had 26 fewer active cases on Tuesday. The region added three cases (two in SD&G, one in Cornwall) to bring the regional total to 2,597. Sixty-three people have died to date. Of all cases, 159 are active (26 fewer than Monday) and 2,375 are resolved (29 more than Monday). Twenty-four people are in hospital (one more than Monday). There are 12 active institutional outbreaks (no change). Testing was up 411 to 104,754.
  • The Leeds, Grenville and Lanark District Health Unit says the region will reopen to either a green-prevent or yellow-protect zone in the framework next Tuesday (Feb. 16) “based on current trends.” A final decision will be announced by the province before next week.
  • The federal government is backing off forcing some Canadians to repay the Canada Emergency Response Benefit. Prime Minister Justin Trudeau says people who applied for CERB based on gross income and not their net, won’t have to return the money.
  • People crossing the land border into Canada will have to show a recent negative COVID-19 test, starting Feb. 15.
  • More layoffs in the airline sector. Air Canada is giving pink slips to 1,500 unionized workers and an unspecified number of management employees. The airline will suspend 17 routes to the United States starting next week until April 30.
  • While new Canadian case counts half what they were a month ago, Chief Public Health Officer Dr. Theresa Tam says provincial governments still need to be ready to put in restrictions quickly with contagious variants floating around.
  • To prevent spring breakers from getting together, Quebec Premier Francois Legault is considering more restrictions during that week. The measures, like roadblocks and curfews, would only apply to the first week in March.
  • A return to the Atlantic bubble? The chief medical officer of health for PEI is hoping it could happen as early as April 1. It will be up to all the premiers though. The travel bubble allowed Maritimers to move between their provinces without having to quarantine for two weeks.

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.