Here are the latest local, regional and national headlines on the novel coronavirus (COVID-19) for Friday, September 3, 2021:
- There have been 567,071 confirmed cases of COVID-19 across Ontario, an increase of 865 cases from the previous day (540 unvaccinated, 88 partially, 173 fully vaccinated, 64 unknown). There have been 551,510 people recovered from the virus while 9,530 have died (nine of 14 newly reported deaths are old cases from data clean-up). The number of Ontario people tested is 17,283,453 of which 13,835 have pending results.
- Canada’s coronavirus case total is 1,507,051. The country has 26,991 deaths from the virus – eight in the Yukon, one in the Northwest Territories, four in Nunavut, 1,824 in British Columbia, 2,388 in Alberta, 608 in Saskatchewan, 1,192 in Manitoba, 9,530 in Ontario, 11,289 in Quebec, 46 in New Brunswick, seven in Newfoundland & Labrador and 94 in Nova Scotia.
- The Leeds, Grenville and Lanark District Health Unit added three cases Thursday to bring the regional total to 1,814 confirmed cases, of which seven are active (no change from Wednesday) and 1,747 are recovered (three more than Wednesday). 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 396 cases (four active), Lanark County West 414 cases (zero active), Leeds-Grenville Central 214 cases (one active), Leeds-Grenville East 357 cases (one active), Leeds-Grenville West 206 cases (one active) and Unknown/Out of Region 19 cases (zero active).
- The Eastern Ontario Health Unit area added 11 cases Thursday – four in Prescott-Russell, four in SD&G and three in Cornwall – to bring the regional total to 4,890 confirmed cases, of which 77 are active (six more than Wednesday) and 4,701 are resolved (five more than Wednesday). The number of deaths is at 112. There is one person in hospital in the ICU. There are no institutional outbreaks. Testing increased 184 to 151,396. The breakdown of cases is: Prescott-Russell 2,039 cases (31 active), SD&G 1,167 cases (24 active), Cornwall 1,324 cases (19 active) and Akwesasne (ON/QC) 360 cases (three active).
- About two-thirds of the EOHU’s active cases are people younger than 18 years old who have come in close contact with another positive case. About 84 per cent of 77 active cases are people not fully vaccinated. Medical Officer of Health Dr. Paul Roumeliotis says “it’s a pattern that we’re seeing” not only locally but province-wide.
- Roumeliotis says the vaccine passport mandate will influence people who are “on the bubble” about getting vaccinated. The doctor says they had one walk-in for the shot at their Winchester office Wednesday and then 14 more Thursday morning.
- Vaccines: Ontario 20,827,809 (+35,152, last update Sept. 2); EOHU 294,987 (last update Sept. 2, +1,059 from previous update Sept. 1); LGL 141,503 individuals living in LGL with first doses, 132,481 with second doses (last update Aug. 31, +1,403 first doses, +2,050 second doses since previous update Aug. 24).
- COVID-19 models from the Ontario science table show that if human contacts are not reduced and vaccinations increased, the province could have 9,000 new daily cases a month from now.
- A negative COVID-19 test won’t cut it if you want to see the Argos, Raptors or Maple Leafs play. Maple Leafs Sports & Entertainment says people going to indoor or outdoor events will have to show proof of vaccination starting Sept. 22. The only exception is for people with a medical exemption who can’t get vaccinated.
- A spike in Delta variant cases has led British Columbia health officials to reinstate restrictions in the northern region. Indoor gatherings are now one other family member and five guests. Outdoor limit is 50 people. There’s already a mask mandate in place. The province had 801 new cases Thursday with 69 per cent in the northern region.
- A Superior Court judge in Quebec says a mother is allowed to have her 12-year-old child vaccinated despite objections from the father. The child’s lawyer says the boy wanted to be vaccinated. The father argued his kid was healthy and feared an allergic reaction.
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