Here are the latest local, regional and national headlines on the novel coronavirus (COVID-19) for Thursday, March 4, 2021:
- There have been 303,763 confirmed cases of COVID-19 across Ontario, an increase of 958 (or 0.3 per cent) from the previous day. There are 286,352 people recovered from the virus while 7,014 people have died. The number of Ontario people tested is 11,163,548 of which 43,139 have pending results.
- Canada’s coronavirus case total is 875,559. The country has 22,105 deaths from the virus – one in the Yukon, one in Nunavut, 1,372 in British Columbia, 1,902 in Alberta, 389 in Saskatchewan, 901 in Manitoba, 7,014 in Ontario, 10,426 in Quebec, 28 in New Brunswick, six in Newfoundland & Labrador and 65 in Nova Scotia.
- The Leeds, Grenville and Lanark District Health Unit added 12 cases on Wednesday to bring the regional total to 883 confirmed cases, of which 27 are active (eight more than Tuesday) and 802 are recovered (four more than Tuesday). There are 54 deaths to date. Three people are in hospital, including one in ICU on a ventilator. There are no active institutional outbreaks (Carolina Retirement Residence declared over). The community case breakdown is: Lanark County East 167 cases (20 active), Lanark County West 168 cases (five active), Leeds-Grenville Central 96 cases (zero active), Leeds-Grenville East 126 cases (one active) and Leeds-Grenville West 123 cases (one active).
- The Eastern Ontario Health Unit added 10 cases Tuesday – four in Prescott-Russell, three in SD&G and three in Cornwall – to bring the regional total to 2,840 cases, of which 143 are active (10 more than Tuesday) and 2,629 are resolved (no change from Tuesday). There are 68 deaths to date. Seven people are in hospital, none in the ICU. There are five active institutional outbreaks. Testing was up 473 to 111,465.
- Vaccines: Ontario 754,419 (+27,398, updated daily); EOHU 8,617 (last update March 3, +867 from previous update March 2); LGL 4,796 individuals with at least 1 shot (last update March 1, +1,842 from previous update Feb. 22).
- The LGL District Health Unit has its first confirmed case of a COVID-19 variant of concern. Read that story by clicking here.
- The National Advisory Committee on Immunization is recommending the time between the first and second doses of COVID-19 vaccines in Canada be spread out to four months when there’s limited supply. Health officials in B.C. and Newfoundland and Labrador have already followed the committee’s guidance. Manitoba is extending the time between the two doses, as are Ontario and Alberta.
- Germany has extended its shutdown by three weeks until the end of March. Some restrictions around non-essential stores are being eased in areas with low infection rates.
- Over half the residents in the Yukon have already received their first dose of the COVID-19 vaccine. Premier Sandy Silver calls the uptake on the vaccine fantastic. Despite no cases in the Yukon, Silver says they are still working toward their goal of 75 per cent of the population getting the shot before easing restrictions.
- In Quebec, the Eastern Townships and Quebec City will be moving to a lower pandemic alert level on Monday. Premier Francois Legault says Montreal will remain at the highest red alert level due to concerns over variants.
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