Here are the latest local, regional and national headlines on the novel coronavirus (COVID-19) for Friday, February 12, 2021:
- There have been 282,511 confirmed cases of COVID-19 across Ontario, an increase of 945 (or 0.3 per cent) from the previous day. Toronto Public Health under-reported cases due to its data migration issue. There are 263,044 people recovered from the virus while 6,614 people have died. The number of Ontario people tested is 10,206,439 of which 43,383 have pending results.
- Canada’s coronavirus case total is 817,163. The country has 21,088 deaths from the virus – one in the Yukon, one in Nunavut, 1,278 in British Columbia, 1,744 in Alberta, 348 in Saskatchewan, 862 in Manitoba, 6,614 in Ontario, 10,149 in Quebec, 22 in New Brunswick, four in Newfoundland & Labrador and 65 in Nova Scotia.
- The Leeds, Grenville and Lanark District Health Unit says it added five new cases but the regional total inexplicably dropped by one for a total of 836 confirmed cases to date. A health unit spokesman says the case is “just not in the data anymore.” Here are the number adjustments between Wednesday and Thursday tracked by Newswatch: Lanark East (+1), Lanark West (+1), Leeds-Grenville Central (+2), Leeds-Grenville East (0), Leeds-Grenville West (-3). There are 14 active (two more than Wednesday) and 768 are recovered (adjustment: four fewer than Wednesday). Fifty-four people have died to date. There are two people in hospital, one in the ICU on a ventilator. There is one active institutional outbreak (Rosebridge Manor). The community case breakdown is: Lanark County East 147 cases (one active), Lanark County West 153 cases (six active), Leeds-Grenville Central 95 cases (five active), Leeds-Grenville East 120 cases (zero active) and Leeds-Grenville West 120 cases (two active).
- The Eastern Ontario Health Unit area added three newly confirmed cases Thursday to bring the regional total – one each in Prescott-Russell, SD&G and Cornwall – to bring the regional total to 2,616. The number of active cases dropped by six to 145 while resolved cases increased by nine to 2,408. Sixty-three people have died to date. There are 19 people are in hospital (five fewer than Wednesday). There are 11 active institutional outbreaks (no change). Testing was up 367 to 105,465.
- For Eastern Ontario students, the March break will be called April break. Read that story by clicking here.
- Ontario public health officials expect variants of COVID-19 will be dominant in the number of new cases by the end of the month. Public health measures have brought down the number of hospitalizations from the basic COVID-19 disease.
- The month-long slowdown of vaccines to Canada may be coming to an end. Federal officials say the pace will starting picking up next week. Manitoba is partially going it alone by buying two million doses of the forthcoming Providence Therapeutics vaccine outside Ottawa’s procurement plan.
- Newfoundland and Labrador had 100 new COVID-19 cases Thursday, which included some teenagers. The chief medical officer there is warning people not to be complacent. The province is in the midst of an election campaign and some voting is being postponed.
- Canada has surpassed one million doses of the COVID-19 vaccine. Deputy Chief Public Health Officer Dr. Howard Njoo says over half of front-line health care worker, residents in nursing homes and staff have got their first dose.
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.