Here are the latest local, regional and national headlines on the novel coronavirus (COVID-19) for Tuesday, April 6, 2021:
- There have been 364,537 confirmed cases of COVID-19 across Ontario, an increase of 5,979 over two days (a 0.8 per cent increase between Sunday and Monday). There have been 331,600 people recovered from the virus while 7,450 have died. The number of Ontario people tested is 12,817,856 of which 17,739 have pending results.
- Canada’s coronavirus case total is 1,014,373. The country has 23,118 deaths from the virus – one in the Yukon, four in Nunavut, 1,486 in British Columbia, 1,998 in Alberta, 440 in Saskatchewan, 940 in Manitoba, 7,450 in Ontario, 10,697 in Quebec, 30 in New Brunswick, six in Newfoundland & Labrador and 66 in Nova Scotia.
- The Leeds, Grenville and Lanark District Health Unit added 32 cases between Friday and Monday to bring the regional total to 1,306 confirmed cases, of which 68 are active (10 fewer than Friday) and 1,184 are recovered (42 more than Friday). There are 54 deaths to date. Four person are in hospital (one more than Friday), three in ICU (one more than Friday) with one on a ventilator (no change). There are two active institutional outbreaks (Kemptville District Hospital and Rideau Ferry Country Home). The community case breakdown is: Lanark County East 268 cases (17 active), Lanark County West 346 cases (nine active), Leeds-Grenville Central 117 cases (three active), Leeds-Grenville East 206 cases (22 active) and Leeds-Grenville West 150 cases (10 active).
- The Eastern Ontario Health Unit area has added 116 cases over three days – 48 in Prescott-Russell, 29 in SD&G and 39 in Cornwall – to bring the regional total to 3,541 confirmed cases, of which 442 are active (87 more than Thursday) and 2,017 resolved (29 more than Thursday). There are 82 deaths to date (no change). Thirty-eight people are in hospital (six more than Thursday) and nine in the ICU (one more than Thursday). There are 15 active institutional outbreaks (one more than Thursday). Testing is unchanged at 123,526.
- Vaccines: Ontario 2,545,640 (+52,452, last update April 5); EOHU 27,249 (last update April 5, +1,584 from previous update April 1); LGL 18,368 individuals with at least 1 shot (last update March 29, +4,371 from previous update March 22).
- More cases are popping up at Upper Canada District School Board schools. The board announced Monday afternoon it has cases associated with Central Public School in Cornwall, Maynard Public School, TISS in Brockville and Winchester Public School. UCDSB says the Central and TISS cases were not at school while infectious while contact tracing is underway for Maynard and Winchester. All schools are opening and running normally.
- Watching the soaring COVID-19 cases, Peel Region’s top doctor is ordering schools in his region to close for two weeks, starting today. Students will move to online learning until April 18.
- The medical officers of health for Toronto, Peel and Ottawa have sent Ontario Chief Medical Officer of Health Dr. David Williams a letter requesting a Ontario-wide stay-at-home order given “the rapid deterioration in local (public health) indicators.” They say the “emergency brake” is not enough to stop the current third wave driven by variants.
- Toronto plans to bring COVID-19 vaccines to high-risk workplaces. Mayor John Tory says it’s dependent on vaccine availability.
- The Toronto District School Board has closed 20 schools as part of COVID-19 investigations. While Peel Region has closed all schools and moved to remote learning today under the direction of Peel’s medical officer of health, Toronto has not done so but says it will monitor the situation.
- It seems Quebec seniors are more satisfied than their Ontario counterparts when it comes to the vaccine rollout. The poll by Leger for the Association of Canadian Studies shows 61 per cent of those asked were satisfied with the daily doses of vaccine administered. In Ontario, it’s 41 per cent.
- Businesses in Britain will be able to reopen next week but whether Brits can travel this summer is still up in the air. Prime Minister Boris Johnson says his government will test the vaccine passport system – an idea that’s being debated worldwide.
- Time for the shot, but first…let me take a selfie. The number of selfies popping up on social media of people getting the vaccine has been growing. Experts believe it will only help to curb vaccine hesitancy and quash online misinformation.
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