Here are the latest local, regional and national headlines on the novel coronavirus (COVID-19) for Saturday, July 24, 2021:
- There have been 548,986 confirmed cases of COVID-19 across Ontario, an increase of 192 cases from the previous day. There have been 538,271 people recovered from the virus while 9,308 have died. The number of Ontario people tested is 16,431,894 of which 6,580 have pending results.
- Canada’s coronavirus case total is 1,425,711. The country has 26,539 deaths from the virus – six in the Yukon, four in Nunavut, 1,767 in British Columbia, 2,322 in Alberta, 577 in Saskatchewan, 1,170 in Manitoba, 9,308 in Ontario, 11,239 in Quebec, 46 in New Brunswick, seven in Newfoundland & Labrador and 93 in Nova Scotia.
- The Leeds, Grenville and Lanark District Health Unit area remained at 1,768 confirmed cases Friday, of which two are active (no change from Thursday) and 1,706 are recovered (no change from Thursday). There are 60 deaths to date. There is one person in hospital. There are no active institutional outbreaks. The community case breakdown is: Lanark County East 386 cases (zero active), Lanark County West 400 cases (zero active), Leeds-Grenville Central 208 cases (zero active), Leeds-Grenville East 349 cases (zero active) and Leeds-Grenville West 203 cases (two active).
- The Eastern Ontario Health Unit area added four new cases Friday – all within the City of Cornwall – to bring the regional total of 4,739, of which seven are active (three more than Thursday) and 4,621 are resolved (one more than Thursday). The number of deaths to date is 111. There is no one in hospital. There are no active institutional outbreaks. Testing increased by 249 to 146,140. The breakdown of cases is: Prescott-Russell 1,981 cases (one active), SD&G 1,124 cases (zero active), Cornwall 1,275 cases (seven active) and Akwesasne (ON/QC) 359 cases (zero active).
- Vaccines: Ontario 18,724,400 (+120,231, last update July 23); EOHU 254,176 (last update July 23, +3,024 from previous update July 22); LGL 134,049 individuals living in LGL with first doses, 103,020 with second doses (last update July 20, +1,463 first doses, +16,602 second doses since previous update July 13).
- Canada’s envoy to the U.S. says both countries are able to make their own unilateral decisions about border and travel restrictions. Kirsten Hillman told a public policy forum that just because both countries work together doesn’t mean their decisions have to match. Canada is opening the border to fully vaccinated U.S. citizens and permanent residents on Aug. 9. The United States has extended restrictions for Canadians until at least Aug. 21.
- Across the border in St. Lawrence County (which includes Massena, Potsdam and Canton), there were 21 new cases Thursday, bringing the total to 7,601. Most of those active cases are in Potsdam (7), Massena (3), Canton (3) and Ogdensburg (3). One person is in hospital. There have been 97 deaths in the county since the pandemic began. Nearly 345,000 tests have been performed in the county that has a population of 111,944.
- Most unvaccinated Americans polled say they’re unlikely to get the shot. The poll found that many doubt vaccines would work against the highly transmissible Delta variant. Of those asked, 35 per cent say they probably won’t; 45 per cent say they definitely won’t.
- Nearly two dozen cases of heart inflammation have been reported in Nova Scotia associated with getting an mRNA vaccine. Chief Public Health Officer Dr. Robert Strang says most of the cases are men in their 20s and had recently had their second vaccine dose of either Pfizer or Moderna.
- With over 75 per cent of New Brunswickers at least partially vaccinated, the province will lift all COVID-19 public health orders next Friday (July 30).
- The U.S. is buying another 200 million Pfizer doses to prepare for possible booster doses and shots for children under 12.
- The country that once had the second highest number of deaths in the world is slowly loosening restrictions. Soccer fans in Brazil are starting to return to stadiums and the mayor of Rio is already planning for its famous New Year’s party. Most of the country remains unvaccinated.
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