Here are the latest local, regional and national headlines on the novel coronavirus (COVID-19) for Wednesday, February 24, 2021:
- There have been 295,119 confirmed cases of COVID-19 across Ontario, an increase of 975 (or 0.3 per cent) from the previous day. There are 277,939 people recovered from the virus while 6,884 people have died. The number of Ontario people tested is 10,751,300 of which 28,802 have pending results.
- Canada’s coronavirus case total is 852,269. The country has 21,762 deaths from the virus – one in the Yukon, one in Nunavut, 1,336 in British Columbia, 1,853 in Alberta, 376 in Saskatchewan, 886 in Manitoba, 6,884 in Ontario, 10,330 in Quebec, 26 in New Brunswick, four in Newfoundland & Labrador and 65 in Nova Scotia.
- The Leeds, Grenville and Lanark District Health Unit added no cases on Tuesday as the regional total remained at 854 confirmed cases, of which eight are active (two fewer than Monday) and 792 are recovered (two more than Monday). Fifty-four people have died to date. There are two people in hospital, including one in ICU (no longer on a ventilator). There are two active institutional outbreaks. The community case breakdown is: Lanark County East 147 cases (zero active), Lanark County West 164 cases (four active), Leeds-Grenville Central 95 cases (zero active), Leeds-Grenville East 123 cases (two active) and Leeds-Grenville West 123 cases (one active).
- The first COVID-19 vaccine clinic in Leeds, Grenville and Lanark opened Tuesday in Kemptville. The health unit says the clinic in Almonte will open Thursday and then Brockville and Smiths Falls “in the next few days.” It’s all appointment based and, to start, it’s for health care workers with direct contact with higher risk groups for COVID-19. Other groups will follow according to the rollout plan.
- The Eastern Ontario Health Unit area added eight cases on Tuesday – two in Prescott-Russell, five in SD&G and one in Cornwall – to bring the regional total to 2,721 cases, of which 101 are active (five fewer than Monday) and 2,553 are resolved (13 more than Monday). Sixty-seven people have died to date. There are two people in hospital, one fewer than Monday, and none in ICU. There are nine active institutional outbreaks. Testing increased by 563 to 108,619.
- Canada’s prison ombudsman, Ivan Zinger, is calling for alternatives for putting people behind bars after infections more than doubled in the country’s federal prison system during the second wave. Those alternatives could include early release for older inmates.
- Canada’s top doctor, Theresa Tam, is hoping provinces and territories can start letting up on the most stringent public health measures before September. She believes things will start looking up as more vaccine is rolled out and people are able to get outdoors.
- A COVID-19 isolation center in Windsor, Ont. for migrant farm workers may have to close because of a $2 million shortfall. In a letter to the federal health minister, the city’s mayor says responsibility for the center was transferred between federal departments but not all costs were covered. Drew Dilkins says the city can’t afford it.
- A Toronto shelter has 29 people who have tested positive for a yet-to-be classed COVID-19 variant. Toronto Public Health declared an outbreak at the shelter earlier this month.
- Nova Scotia has three new COVID-19 cases and three more cases of the U.K. variant. Two of the three cases from the Halifax area travelled together. There’s been a total of six variant cases in the province.
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