Here are the latest local, regional and national headlines on the novel coronavirus (COVID-19) for Wednesday, June 2, 2021:
- There have been 532,158 confirmed cases of COVID-19 across Ontario, an increase of 699 cases from the previous day. There have been 511,703 people recovered from the virus while 8,766 have died. The number of Ontario people tested is 15,242,915 of which 15,490 have pending results.
- Canada’s coronavirus case total is 1,383,214. The country has 25,566 deaths from the virus – two in the Yukon, four in Nunavut, 1,703 in British Columbia, 2,228 in Alberta, 540 in Saskatchewan, 1,056 in Manitoba, 8,766 in Ontario, 11,133 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 no cases Tuesday as the regional total remains at 1,746 confirmed cases, of which eight are active (nine fewer than Monday) and 1,678 are recovered (nine more than Monday). There are 60 deaths to date. There is no one in hospital (one fewer than Monday). There are no active institutional outbreaks. The community case breakdown is: Lanark County East 381 cases (two active), Lanark County West 393 cases (zero active), Leeds-Grenville Central 208 cases (one active), Leeds-Grenville East 346 cases (three active) and Leeds-Grenville West 196 cases (two active).
- The Eastern Ontario Health Unit area added 12 cases on Tuesday – two in Prescott-Russell, one in SD&G and nine in Akwesasne – to bring the regional total to 4,805 confirmed cases, of which 109 are active (five fewer than Monday) and 4,591 are resolved (16 more than Monday). There was another death in as many days bringing the the total to 105. There are eight people in hospital (one more than Monday) with three in the ICU (no change). There are zero active institutional outbreaks. Testing increased by 170 to 139,881.
- Vaccines: Ontario 9,202,220 (+120,195, last update June 1); EOHU 109,307 (last update June 1, -3,735 from previous update May 31, number is negative due to data correction by health unit); LGL 108,441 individuals with at least 1 shot (last update May 29, +42,755 from previous update May 25, large increase is due to new reporting format).
- The National Advisory Committee on Immunization says people who received the AstraZecena vaccine as a first dose can get a second dose of Pfizer or Moderna. Canada Chief Public Health Officer Dr. Theresa Tam says a decision is based entirely on the risk of the blood clot side effect known as VITT. Six other countries besides Canada are allowing residents to mix and match vaccines.
- Tam says the situation with the third wave has dramatically improved in the last six weeks. The average amount of new cases is down 70 per cent from mid-April.
- With over 25,000 deaths since it began, the pandemic has reduced Canada’s life expectancy. Statistics Canada says the average life span was reduced by 0.4 years in 2020 – nearly 16,000 of the deaths happened last year.
- Alberta is now giving second shots of the vaccine to people who received their first dose in March. In the coming weeks, it will open to people who received their initial dose in April and May. Nearly two-thirds of Albertans over the age of 12 are partially vaccinated.
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