Here are the latest local, regional and national coronavirus headlines (COVID-19) for Tuesday, February 15, 2022:
- Public Health Ontario reported eight deaths on Monday to bring the total to 12,101. There are 1,369 people in hospital (~10 per cent of hospitals not reporting weekend bed census), 394 in ICU (down eight from the previous day) and 243 on a ventilator (down one from the previous day). Although PHO reported 1,765 new cases Monday, the statistic is likely lower than the number of infections given the limited testing in Ontario. The total case count is 1,074,485.
- Canada’s coronavirus case total (as of 9 a.m. Feb. 14) is 3,192,309. The country has 35,470 deaths from the virus – 20 in the Yukon, 17 in the Northwest Territories, five in Nunavut, 2,747 in British Columbia, 3,741 in Alberta, 1,012 in Saskatchewan, 1,619 in Manitoba, 12,093 in Ontario, 13,693 in Quebec, 290 in New Brunswick, 14 in PEI, 52 in Newfoundland & Labrador and 167 in Nova Scotia.
- In its Monday report, the Leeds, Grenville and Lanark District Health Unit has nine people in hospital (one fewer than Friday), six in the ICU (one fewer than Friday) and zero on a ventilator (one fewer than Friday). The number of deaths to date is 80 (one more than Friday). There were 96 cases added since Friday but due to limited testing, the number of cases locally is likely higher than what is being reported. Local case numbers are updated Monday, Wednesday and Friday. Public Health Ontario says the cumulative case count for the region as of Monday is 6,300. There are 14 lab-confirmed outbreaks in congregate care, communal living and other facilities (one more than Friday). A partial list of active .
- Nine deaths from COVID-19 in the Eastern Ontario Health Unit area were added to the regional total over the weekend, bringing the number of deaths to 183. But Medical Officer of Health Dr. Paul Roumeliotis told Newswatch they were added due to a data cleaning exercise and the cases “date back to early January.” There were 18 people in hospital Monday (two fewer than Friday) with four in the ICU (no change from Friday). There are 16 (eight fewer than Friday). Test positivity from limited testing in high-risk populations is 16.2 per cent (down 0.8 per cent from Friday). Public Health Ontario says the cumulative case total for the region as of Monday is 13,256.
- Vaccines: Ontario 31,303,825 (+18,265, last update Feb. 14); EOHU 455,019 (last update Feb. 14, +1,378 from previous update Feb. 11); LGL 161,592 individuals living in LGL with first doses, 154,345 with second doses, 99,725 with third doses. (last update Feb. 6, +324 first doses, +1,272 second doses, +2,680 third doses since previous update Jan. 30).
- Prime Minister Justin Trudeau has invoked the Emergencies Act in order to deal with the downtown Ottawa trucker protest. It gives the government the power to ban public gatherings in specific places, take control of public services deemed necessary and level fines or jail time against public order law-breakers. Trudeau has said it is not being used to call in the military.
- Provincially, a judge has granted an injunction to enforce noise and idling bylaws after the the City of Ottawa’s lawyer says the protesters were violating bylaws including constant idling of trucks, fireworks and having open fires.
- The Ontario government will be lifting more restrictions Friday and the proof of vaccination requirements at some venues will end in March. More details by clicking here.
- As many as 13 people have been arrested after police found a bunch of weapons among protesters at the blockade near the Coutts, Alta. border crossing. The seizure included long guns, hand guns, ammo and body armour, according to Global News. Earlier Monday, Premier Jason Kenney announced the province would helping RCMP in removing vehicles from the blockade.
- With a possible wind-down of testing requirements for international travel, some Canadian travel agencies say booking have seen an uptick. One agency says its booking for sun destinations are up to 50 per cent of pre-pandemic levels. Plans for March break getaways are up eight times what they were for the holiday last year.
Have a story or news release related to COVID-19? Send it along for possible inclusion in a future digest on Brockville Newswatch. Email editor@brockvillenewswatch.com. Please put “COVID-19 Digest” in the subject line.