Here are the latest local, regional and national headlines on the novel coronavirus (COVID-19) for Thursday, March 11, 2021:
- There have been 312,428 confirmed cases of COVID-19 across Ontario, an increase of 1,316 (or 0.4 per cent) from the previous day. There are 294,018 people recovered from the virus while 7,099 people have died. The number of Ontario people tested is 11,523,830 of which 38,518 have pending results.
- Canada’s coronavirus case total is 896,739. The country has 22,335 deaths from the virus – one in the Yukon, one in Nunavut, 1,394 in British Columbia, 1,928 in Alberta, 401 in Saskatchewan, 908 in Manitoba, 7,099 in Ontario, 10,503 in Quebec, 29 in New Brunswick, six in Newfoundland & Labrador and 65 in Nova Scotia.
- The Leeds, Grenville and Lanark District Health Unit added 11 cases on Wednesday to bring the regional total to 942 confirmed cases, of which 65 are active (eight more than Tuesday) and 823 are recovered (three more than Tuesday). There are 54 deaths to date. No one is in hospital. There is one active institutional outbreak (Perth Community Care). The community case breakdown is: Lanark County East 200 cases (40 active), Lanark County West 184 cases (15 active), Leeds-Grenville Central 99 cases (three active), Leeds-Grenville East 131 cases (five active) and Leeds-Grenville West 124 cases (one active).
- The Eastern Ontario Health Unit area added 20 cases on Wednesday – eight in SD&G, 11 in Cornwall and one in Akwesasne – to bring the regional total to 2,933 cases, of which 163 are active (three fewer than Tuesday) and 2,701 are resolved (22 more than Tuesday). There are 69 deaths to date, one more than Tuesday. Seven people are in hospital and none in the ICU (no change). There are nine active institutional outbreaks. Testing was up 339 to 113,156.
- Vaccines: Ontario 978,797 (+35,264, updated daily); EOHU 12,806 (last update March 10, +273 from previous update March 9); LGL 6,725 individuals with at least 1 shot (last update March 8, +1,929 from previous update March 1).
- Canada has distributed 3.8 million COVID-19 vaccines over the past 13 weeks and another 4.2 million should be sent out over the next three weeks. The head of the federal vaccine task force – Major Gen. Dany Fortin – says the country is moving to Phase 2. Most of the vaccine will be Pfizer and Moderna.
- Over 325 Ontario pharmacies will be helping out with vaccinations. The province is about to receive nearly 195,000 doses of the AstraZeneca vaccine. The Toronto, Windsor-Essex and the Kingston areas starting booking appointments at drug stores Wednesday (March 10). Those getting the shot will be in the 60-64 age range. Vaccinations will also be done in doctor’s offices in six areas of Ontario – not the EOHU or LGL District Health Unit areas.
- The safety around the federal quarantine hotel program has been called into question. Public Safety Minister Bill Blair is facing scrutiny after two allegations of sexual assault. Blair says the allegations should be investigated thoroughly.
- The $1.9 trillion pandemic relief bill has cleared the U.S. House of Representatives and is now before President Joe Biden for his signature. The bill will give Americans $1,400 cheques, plus it will extend unemployment benefits and includes spending on COVID-19 vaccines and testing.
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