Here are the latest local, regional and national headlines on the novel coronavirus (COVID-19) for Monday, October 4, 2021:
- There have been 588,101 confirmed cases of COVID-19 across Ontario, an increase of 580 cases from the previous day (296 unvaccinated, 38 partially, 173 fully vaccinated, 73 unknown). There were 668 new cases Friday and 704 on Saturday. There have been 573,366 people recovered from the virus while 9,752 have died. The number of Ontario people tested is 18,173,823 of which 10,888 have pending results.
- Canada’s coronavirus case total on Friday was 1,629,142. The country has 27,921 deaths from the virus – nine in the Yukon, six in the Northwest Territories, four in Nunavut, 1,973 in British Columbia, 2,731 in Alberta, 700 in Saskatchewan, 1,211 in Manitoba, 9,743 in Ontario, 11,377 in Quebec, 60 in New Brunswick, 10 in Newfoundland & Labrador and 97 in Nova Scotia. Health Canada will update numbers from the weekend at 7:30 p.m. today.
- The Leeds, Grenville and Lanark District Health Unit added eight cases Friday to bring the regional total to 1,895 confirmed cases, of which 19 are active (four more than Wednesday) and 1,816 are recovered (four more than Wednesday). There are 60 deaths to date. There is one person in hospital (one fewer than Wednesday) in the ICU on a ventilator (new from Wednesday). There are no active institutional outbreaks. The community case breakdown is: Lanark County East 418 cases (five active), Lanark County West 422 cases (two active), Leeds-Grenville Central 228 cases (nine active), Leeds-Grenville East 388 cases (two active), Leeds-Grenville West 210 cases (one active) and Unknown/Out of Region 21 cases (zero active).
- The Eastern Ontario Health Unit added 52 cases Friday from the previous two days – nine in Prescott-Russell, 13 in SD&G and 30 in Cornwall – to bring the regional total to 5,382 confirmed cases, of which 182 are active (no change from Wednesday) and 5,034 are resolved (52 more than Wednesday). There are 114 deaths to date (no change). There are seven people in hospital (two fewer than Wednesday) and one in the ICU (three fewer than Wednesday). There are 11 institutional outbreaks (no change). Testing increased 914 to 159,973. The breakdown of cases is: Prescott-Russell 2,159 cases (32 active), SD&G 1,257 cases (32 active), Cornwall 1,573 cases (106 active) and Akwesasne (ON/QC) 393 cases (12 active)(Akwesasne health department reports one new case Wednesday: 416 total cases, 14 active).
- Vaccines: Ontario 21,870,930 (+23,884, last update Oct. 3); EOHU 312,331 (last update Oct. 1, +1,481 from previous update Sept. 29); LGL 145,254 individuals living in LGL with first doses, 136,562 with second doses (last update Sept. 21, +1,511 first doses, +1,404 second doses since previous update Sept. 14).
- All workers at long-term care homes will need to be fully vaccinated by Nov. 15 or they have to provide a medical exemption. Long-Term Care Minister Rod Phillips announced Friday the mandate will cover all in-home staff, support workers, students and volunteers. Those that don’t get the shot, won’t be able to enter a facility to work.
- The Canadian Armed Forces and the Canadian Red Cross are sending specialists and medical workers to Alberta as the province deals with a crushing 20,000 active cases of COVID-19. There has been over 1,000 new infections every day in the past few weeks.
- An Ontario strippers’ group is mounting a legal challenge against the Ontario government, says the pandemic restrictions for their line of work is unconstitutional. The matter will be heard in court today after a filing for a judicial review last year by the group Work Safe Twerk Safe.
- With New Brunswick churches the latest places for spread of the virus, public safety officers were making rounds yesterday doing spot checks.
- People not wanting to socialize but not be indoors this winter may have an opportunity this winter in one Canadian city, but they’ll want to bundle up. Winnipeg city council is accepting applications for temporary winter patios at eligible businesses for November through March as a way to increase business.
- A poll by Leger shows 78 per cent of people asked strongly support or somewhat support proof of vaccination to visit non-essential places, like gyms and restaurants.
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