Here are the latest local, regional and national headlines on the novel coronavirus (COVID-19) for Saturday, August 14, 2021:
- There have been 554,472 confirmed cases of COVID-19 across Ontario, an increase of 510 cases from the previous day. There have been 541,946 people recovered from the virus while 9,416 have died (two of the four deaths are old cases from data clean-up). The number of Ontario people tested is 16,811,269 of which 9,807 have pending results.
- Canada’s coronavirus case total is 1,449,851. The country has 26,698 deaths from the virus – eight in the Yukon, four in Nunavut, 1,779 in British Columbia, 2,332 in Alberta, 586 in Saskatchewan, 1,185 in Manitoba, 9,416 in Ontario, 11,242 in Quebec, 46 in New Brunswick, seven in Newfoundland & Labrador and 93 in Nova Scotia.
- The Leeds, Grenville and Lanark District Health Unit area added three cases Friday to bring the regional total to 1,779 cases, of which five are active (one more than Thursday) and 1,714 are recovered (two more than Thursday). There are 60 deaths to date. There is no one in hospital. There are no active institutional outbreaks. The community case breakdown is: Lanark County East 388 cases (zero active), Lanark County West 400 cases (zero active), Leeds-Grenville Central 210 cases (zero active), Leeds-Grenville East 353 cases (three active), Leeds-Grenville West 205 cases (one active) and Unknown 15 cases (one active).
- The Eastern Ontario Health Unit area added one case Friday in Prescott-Russell to bring the regional total to 4,780 confirmed cases, of which 29 are active (no change from Thursday) and 4,640 are resolved (one more than Thursday). The have been 111 deaths to date. There is one person in hospital in the ICU. There is one active institutional outbreak. Testing increased 207 to 148,670. The breakdown of cases is: Prescott-Russell 1,994 cases (six active), SD&G 1,136 cases (11 active), Cornwall 1,291 cases (12 active) and Akwesasne (ON/QC) 359 cases (zero active).
- Vaccines: Ontario 20,096,593 (+48,682, last update Aug. 13); EOHU 280,487 (last update Aug. 13, +207 from previous update Aug. 12); LGL 137,774 individuals living in LGL with first doses, 123,042 with second doses (last update Aug. 10, +1,273 first doses, +4,156 second doses since previous update Aug. 3).
- All federal public service employees will be mandated to have the COVID-19 vaccine. Privy Council President Dominic LeBlanc says the government expects federally regulated industries to do the same. Ottawa is also asking Crown corporations to follow their lead. The implementation period is expected in the fall.
- The federal government will require COVID-19 vaccinations for all commercial air passengers as well as those on trains and cruise ships moving from province to province. Employees in the sector will also have to be vaccinated. It’s expected to take effect by the end of October.
- Federal Health Minister Patty Hajdu announced money for safe voluntary COVID-19 isolation sites around Timmins and Kenora as well as sites in Belleville and Hamilton. The federal government is providing $5.5 million for the nine sites with 194 rooms total.
- Alberta has pressed pause on eliminating its isolation requirements for those positive with COVID-19. The moves comes after pressure from other politicians and those in the medical community. Chief Medical Health Officer Dr. Denna Hinshaw says the province will continue its masking mandate and testing for symptomatic people.
- The CEO of Shopify announced Friday that any employee meetups will require proof of full COVID-19 vaccination. Tobi Lutke tweeted that the company will follow Quebec’s policy on requiring vaccination proof to go to non-essential public places “because science.”
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