Here are the latest local, regional and national headlines on the novel coronavirus (COVID-19) for Tuesday, June 1, 2021:
- There have been 531,459 confirmed cases of COVID-19 across Ontario, an increase of 916 cases from the previous day. There have been 510,135 people recovered from the virus while 8,757 have died. The number of Ontario people tested is 15,222,653 of which 7,087 have pending results.
- Canada’s coronavirus case total is 1,381,582. The country has 25,547 deaths from the virus – two in the Yukon, four in Nunavut, 1,703 in British Columbia, 2,227 in Alberta, 539 in Saskatchewan, 1,053 in Manitoba, 8,757 in Ontario, 11,128 in Quebec, 43 in New Brunswick, six in Newfoundland & Labrador and 85 in Nova Scotia.
- The Leeds, Grenville and Lanark District Health Unit area added a single case over the weekend to bring the regional total to 1,746 confirmed cases, of which 17 are active (11 fewer than Friday) and 1,669 are recovered (12 more than Friday). There are 60 deaths to date. One person is in hospital. There are no active institutional outbreaks. The community case breakdown is: Lanark County East 382 cases (four active), Lanark County West 393 cases (zero active), Leeds-Grenville Central 208 cases (three active), Leeds-Grenville East 345 cases (eight active) and Leeds-Grenville West 196 cases (two active).
- The Eastern Ontario Health Unit area added seven cases over the weekend – five in Prescott-Russell and one each in SD&G and Cornwall – to bring the regional total to 4,793 confirmed cases, of which 114 are active (15 fewer than Friday) and 4,575 are resolved (21 more than Friday). There is one additional death to bring the total to 104. There are seven people in hospital (one more than Friday) with three in the ICU (no change). There are zero active institutional outbreaks. Testing increased by 248 to 139,711.
- Vaccines: Ontario 9,082,025 (+97,747, last update May 31); EOHU 113,042 (last update May 31, +6,993 from previous update May 28); LGL 65,686 individuals with at least 1 shot (last update May 25, +7,850 from previous update May 17).
- “Please do not worry.” Those words were repeated Monday by EOHU Medical Officer of Health Dr. Paul Roumeliotis, responding to concerns that people who got a first COVID-19 vaccine dose before the provincial booking system went online were not able to book their second dose yesterday. Roumeliotis says vaccine allotments are being reserved for those people and that they are “very aware of” the time frame for their second shots. The doctor says they might even book special clinics or reserve spaces for the “several thousand” people affected.
- The provincial government is making it mandatory for long-term care homes to have immunization policies in place. Until the policy is in place, staff will have to provide proof of vaccination of both doses or provide a medical reason for not being vaccinated. The third option is to take part in an education program on the benefits and risks associated with vaccines. The policies have to be in place by July 1.
- While the numbers are coming down, Ontario Chief Medical Officer of Health Dr. David Williams says the case totals are still above what the caseload was between the second and third waves of coronavirus.
- When Quebec university and college students go back to class in the fall, physical distancing measures won’t apply. So says Health Minister Danielle McCann. But she says mask rules may still apply. It will all depend on whether 75 per cent of 16 to 29-year-olds are fully vaccinated by that time.
- Manitoba residents who got an AstraZeneca first dose can get a different second dose. The province has approved Pfizer and Moderna as a second dose option after seeing results of a Spanish study.
- A dozen youth in the Vancouver area were given the wrong COVID-19 vaccine. Vancouver Coastal Health says the errors happened during the first week of giving shots to kids, where the children received Moderna instead of Pfizer – the only shot approved for 12 to 17-year-olds.
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