Lygenztia *463 (A vaccine??? Hmmm, maybe, maybe not) Thursday April 30, 2020 (Ontario/up)

Topping today's blog is a story with hope for cautious optimism. ABC news reported a biotech company says its experimental drug has proved effective against the new coronavirus in a major U.S. government study that put it to a strict test. ++THIS HAS NOT BEEN PROVEN++ Canadian media are not reporting on this story, so make sure you take it with a grain of salt.

Worldwide stats provided by worldometers put the global COVID-19 number of reported cases today at 3,232,975. (Deaths: 228,517 and Recovered: 1,008,496) I emphasize reported because there is a wide variance in testing and manner of reporting from country to country and place to place.

As of 6:48 a.m. ET on Thursday April 30, 2020:
Canada reported 51,597 confirmed and presumptive cases of COVID-19. A daily reported national increase of 1,571 new confirmed cases from yesterday.

The official Province of Ontario website reported 15,728 cases of COVID-19. A reported daily increase of only 347 new cases in the province. That's down by 178 from 525 new cases the previous day.

Quebec continues to have the highest reported cases in the country with 26,5947 which is up 837 from the previous day's report. (yesterday 775)

The Region of Durham reported 933 confirmed cases of COVID-19. An increase of only 10 reported new cases from the day before. Very good news! The site also reports 10 current outbreaks at Hospitals, LTCF's and Retirement Homes with 5 outbreaks now having been resolved. (up from 3)

In international news,
From the "You think testing is inadequate in Canada" file, to detect COVID-19 carriers in the North Coast region of Jalisco, UdeG installed a COVID-19 laboratory at the Centro Universitario de la Costa (CuCosta) in Puerto Vallarta. Unfortunately, they only have the capacity to test 30 people per day.

Russia is really struggling. COVID-19 appeared to come late to Russia, compared with North America and Europe, but now it's striking with a vengeance, the damage compounded by the lack of personal protective equipment for hospital workers. There are almost daily reports across the vast country — from St. Petersburg to Siberia — of hospitals being quarantined because of coronavirus outbreaks among staff. I don't know how this virus started, but know this, if Mr. Putin thinks that China un-leashed it....the consequences are going to be severe.

The CDC (U.S.A.) recently posted additional COVID-19 symptoms. Given that allergy season is upon us, this list is problematic. See for yourself:

In national news,
From the CBC, 'Racist and inflammatory': Canadians upset by Epoch Times claim China behind virus, made it as a bioweapon. I do not stand by, or endorse, the Epoch Times article but I can tell you this, I have yet to speak to a Canadian that is not upset with the China government right now. However it was caused, people are angry. Damn angry and they are going to stay angry and bitter about this for a long, long time.

Manitoba's premier announced his plan to reopen the province beginning next week. Pallister announced the multi-phase plan will begin next week, on May 4. At that time the province will begin to open some businesses and increase recreation opportunities, including non-essential healthcare and retail businesses.

These are the meat plants in Canada affected by the coronavirus outbreak. Currently shut down are Cargill Inc. one of Alberta's largest meat processing plants; the JBS meat-packing plant in Brooks, Alberta and Conestoga Meats pork processing plant in Waterloo, Ontario. On the upside, four other plants were shut down but have since resumed operations.

A Canadian military helicopter went missing during NATO operations near Greece. The occupants are presumed to be deceased.

In Ontario,
Three Toronto daycare staff tested positive for COVID-19 yesterday.

From the "this article is going to bother you" file, people are getting COVID-19 by community transmission, but Ontario knows little about how or why. Despite six weeks of workplace closures, physical distancing and stay-at-home messages, people are still contracting COVID-19 in Ontario communities, and public health officials don't have a firm handle on why or how it's happening. Roughly half of Ontario's new cases of the coronavirus are among residents and staff of long-term care homes, along with other front-line health workers. But for the remaining cases, the sources of infection are often unspecified.

Another PSW passed away from COVID-19 complications, 51 year old Arlene Reid; she left 5 children behind. She worked for the Victorian Order of Nurses providing home care. She caught the disease from community transmission, but it is not known who she contracted the disease from. We mourn her loss.

Locally,
Sometimes, it sucks to be in first place. Sadly, Durham Region leads comparable municipalities in confirmed coronavirus deaths.

That said, to balance with some positive news as I previously mentioned, the Region of Durham reported only ten new cases, yesterday. Reason for hope........

COVID-19 delays are causing a large backlog in funeral home bookings, says the funeral home association. Over the past six weeks, the Ontario Funeral Services Association estimates there could be as many as 5,000 memorial services that were put on hold and are still waiting to be held. This answers my question last week as to why "natural" deaths seem to be down. (Based anecdotally on my review of local obituaries) "Natural" deaths are not down, but the announcements of them are. Many people are holding off on official announcements, until they can hold services once the restrictions are lifted.

Durham is going to use the cabins at Oshawa’s Camp Samac as homeless person shelter space with physical distance. It will be interesting to see what happens when things return to "normal" and they are made to leave. I hope they are supported and have some kind of transition, but my guess is they will not want to leave when the time comes.

The weather is supposed to be really nice this weekend. This is going to be yet another test of our resolve to social distance and keep up the fight. Let's do the best we can and do our part to flatten the curve and kick COVID's ass.

Don't let self-isolation stop you from getting some exercise. Livestrong has started the 30 day push-up challenge, beginning May 1st. You can check it out here. Here's how it works: Start with 5 push-ups on Day 1, add about 2 a day and finish with 60 (with some rest days thrown in there for good measure, of course). They will send you weekly emails to help you stay motivated and other tips to follow along with their monthly challenges.

Hunting/fishing related closures in Ontario can be found here.
Town of Clarington COVID-19 updates can be found here.
Province of Ontario COVID-19 updates can be found here.
Government of Canada COVID-19 updates can be found here.

1hr/espanol
6.88/run/p-up challenge
Blog
Harvard

Lygenztia *462 (CERB = Hide and Seek for $500.00 week!) Wednesday April 29, 2020 (Ontario/up)

Worldwide stats provided by worldometers put the global COVID-19 number of reported cases today at 3,149,259. (Deaths: 218,386 and Recovered: 962,809) I emphasize reported because there is a wide variance in testing and manner of reporting from country to country and place to place.

As of 6:48 a.m. ET on Wednesday April 29, 2020:
Canada reported 50,026 confirmed and presumptive cases of COVID-19. A daily reported national increase of 1,526 new confirmed cases.

The official Province of Ontario website reported 15,381 cases of COVID-19. A reported daily increase of 525 new cases in the province. It bears repeating, yesterday Ontario saw an increase in daily reported cases, which ended the previous 3 day in a row case decrease.

Quebec continues to have the highest reported cases in the country with 25,757 which is up by 775 from the previous day's report. From my observation, the Quebec numbers do not follow any kind of trend. One day, they are up by approximately 1700 and the next, up by about 600. By contrast, Ontario daily numbers are relatively steady and consistent.

The Region of Durham reported 923 confirmed cases of COVID-19. An increase of 24 reported new cases from the day before. The site also reports 10 current outbreaks at Hospitals, LTCF's and Retirement Homes with 5 outbreaks now having been resolved. (up from 3)

In international news,
The United States? Yes, still crazy. No change.

In national news,
If you want to become (even more) confused about COVID-19, not get any answers and listen to politically correct platitudes, I urge you to tune in to our Prime Minister's daily press briefing. I tried, I really tried to be understanding and kind to him in the beginning. But, his finger wagging, his 'I know best' approach and his avoidance of the tough questions that we all want answers to is nothing short of frustrating. I no longer listen, it's not worth the time and subsequent exasperation.

Some good/bad news, new projections show the spread of COVID-19 has slowed in Canada, but sadly, more deaths are expected.

Oh, and then there is "CERB." What began as a stop-gap, temporary assistance program for Canadians aka, "CERB" is quickly becoming a joke and for some, a lifestyle. Now, nobody wants to go back to work. Why bother? Easier to sit home, order Skip the Dishes, watch Netflix and get the "CERB" money. Hide and seek for $500/week. Fast food outlets, nursing/retirement homes, grocery stores, retails, cleaners, delivery drivers, warehouse help, agriculture. All are seeking bodies to hire, right now. Then there are the people fraudulently claiming the CERB, that are not entitled or continue to work under the table, and make no mistake....there are plenty. Don't dare criticize though, because if you do you aren't patriotic and you are not part of the COVID-19 fight. Make no mistake, the working man and woman are going to pay a heavy price in the future for all of these hand outs.

From the "I do not like where this is going" file, Quebec is getting set to open elementary schools. Yes, the same province with the most COVID-19 cases in all of Canada. Let's hope and pray this doesn't turn badly.

In Ontario,
From the "Aw, dammit" file, yesterday Ontario reported an increase in new cases of COVID-19 after three straight days of declining numbers.

Ontario, says concerts, sporting events will be restricted for ‘forseeable future’.

A second Sick Kids patient tested positive for COVID-19, along with one staff and two parents.

COVID-19 is claiming victims in other ways, unfortunately. Cardiac surgery delays due to COVID-19 may have caused 35 deaths, says the Ontario Health Minister. The backlog of surgery when we return to some form of normal is going to be massive and the health implications to Ontario residents is not yet known.

Locally,
A stabbing in Oshawa. It's tough to social distance when you are sticking a knife blade into your fellow man, I guess.

Haircuts are beginning to become an issue (for those practicing social distancing, anyway) but one barbershop is helping, virtually! Starks Barber Company in Brooklin responded to the COVID-19 pandemic by starting free online haircut consultations. Awesome idea!

Finally, the isolation is really starting to wear on people and I find we are becoming increasingly judgmental of each other. (myself included) People think "Well , it's ok for me to visit my cousin", then become enraged when they see a group in a driveway. Many people have the mindset that what they do (that goes against social distancing) is okay and rationalize it somehow. But when they see and perceive others to be going against the guidelines, they get angry. I guess that's just part of the human condition. And, please, do not tell me people don't do this. Because.....they do, they are and they will. (myself included)

Hunting/fishing related closures in Ontario can be found here.
Town of Clarington COVID-19 updates can be found here.
Province of Ontario COVID-19 updates can be found here.
Government of Canada COVID-19 updates can be found here.

1hr/espanol
1Ok/run+battle ropes/pushup challenge
Blog

Lygenztia *461 (Spring or BRRAAPP?) Tuesday April 28, 2020 (Ontario/up)

Worldwide stats provided by worldometers put the global COVID-19 number of reported cases today at 3,075,441. (Deaths: 211,795 and Recovered: 925,187) I emphasize reported because there is a wide variance in testing and manner of reporting from country to country and place to place.

As of 6:04 a.m. ET on Tuesday April 28, 2020:
Canada reported 48,500 confirmed and presumptive cases of COVID-19. A daily reported increase of 1,605 new confirmed cases from yesterday.

The official Province of Ontario website reported 14,856 cases of COVID-19. A reported daily increase of 424 new cases in the province from yesterday. OF NOTE, Ontario had seen the daily reported cases decrease 3 days in a row, until today.

Quebec continues to have the highest reported cases in the country with 24,982 which is up by 1,715 from the previous day's report. To me, Quebec just does not seem to be making any progress.

Ontario and Quebec currently account for 82% of Canada's reported cases of COVID-19. Clearly, reporting continues to be an issue. The CBC reported a daily increase of 1,605 cases from yesterday. Ontario reported 424 new cases, Quebec reported 1,715 new cases which equals 2,139 which does not jive with the CBC number.

The Region of Durham reported 899 confirmed cases of COVID-19. An increase of 24 reported new cases from the day before, which is down. The site also reports 12 current outbreaks at Hospitals, LTCF's and Retirement Homes with 3 having been resolved.

In international news,
COVID-19 in Mexico: 1,434 deaths and 15,529 positive cases. Puerto Vallarta reported 46 cases of COVID-19 and 5 deaths. Only 244 people in that city have been tested. (estimated population 221,200)

From the "Are you effing kidding me?" file, Las Vegas mayor slammed for suggesting workers could be COVID-19 'control group'.

From time.com the Coronavirus Is Likely to Become a Seasonal Infection Like the Flu, Top Chinese Scientists Warn. Time.com is an excellent magazine/website with amazing articles.

From the "Are you sure about that?" file, OXFORD UNIVERSITY ANNOUNCED THAT ITS CORONAVIRUS VACCINE WORKED SUCCESSFULLY IN MONKEYS. Not so sure I will be first in line for that inoculation.

In national news,
The first ever virtual sitting of Canada Parliament will take place today. Next week, there will be one in-person sitting of the House.

How Canada plans to open up: Provinces outlining plans to ease COVID-19 restrictions.

For the people that are WFH (work-from-home) during the COVID crisis that own pets, this is on everyone's mind. Here are some tips from CTV's website. Stressed pets: How to stop it now and when you go back to work.

From the "Life goes on?" file, despite the Quebec COVID-19 numbers, Quebec is getting set to partially re-open and their Premier Legault said "life goes on." You can watch his comments here, on Youtube.

In Ontario,
There is alot of buzz in Ontario right now, as talks have began over the "road map" to re-open the province in a three phase approach. This is giving people hope, which is desperately needed right now. However; Dr. David Williams, the Ontario Chief Medical Officer cautioned that Ontario is still in the pandemic stage and our Premier stressed the phase approach is not a time-table and the actual date to begin the phase re-opening is still unknown.

A teenage patient at The Hospital for Sick Children is in isolation after testing positive for COVID-19 over the weekend.

This is really interesting and provides a real eye-opener. Five charts that show why Ontario is not yet ready to loosen COVID-19 restrictions.

A friend of mine recently joked with her husband that if he kept pissing her off, she was going to poison him as they aren't doing autopsies in Ontario right now. There is at least some truth to that. There’s no wide-scale post-mortem COVID-19 testing in Ontario. Experts say this is a ‘national embarrassment’.

In local news,
An outbreak of COVID-19 has been confirmed at the Ajax Pickering Hospital. One patient and three staff members tested positive for COVID-19 on 4 East, an inpatient unit at the hospital.

Tragically, there have been at least 43 deaths at Pickering's Orchard Villa, with 41 coming in the long-term care section of the facility. As of (April 27), the death toll at the facility is the highest in Ontario. There have been two deaths in the retirement section of the site.

From the "Say what?" file, from Durham Long-Term Care Homes (Lakeview Manor, Fairview Lodge, Hillsdale Estates and Hillsdale Terraces) “In our long-term care facilities, the four facilities we operate, we have an adequate supply of PPE and always have. So we have never had a problem with that,” said Durham’s Commissioner of Social Services Stella Danos-Papaconstantinou. So, everything is fine, nothing to see here, folks? Perhaps, then, you can explain how a major Durham outbreak happened at Hillsdale? Compare that report, with this one, "Majority of Canadian doctors stressed about a lack of PPE and COVID-19 tests: survey"

Well, I did my workout outside yesterday. The weather is improving so the next season is upon us. Spring, you say? Well no, actually it's the "i'm insecure and have a very small penis, so I am going to ride an obscenely loud motorcycle to intimidate/impress people season." I say ban every one of these super loud pieces of shit. Nobody will care if the government does ban them, except the people that nobody cares about. That's ok, if they are able to read (unlikely), they will have absolutely no idea what I just wrote and meant, anyway.

Finally, as long as I am ranting. I am tired of speaking to people who feel they are COVID-19 "experts" and/or authorities. I read the news, I study the "numbers", like most and that is the limit of my COVID-19 expertise. I am tired of people telling me "the real deal", when nobody (including the "experts") knows the real deal right now. Currently, you can go to four different websites and get four different sets of "reported" numbers. There is no consistency, whatsoever. When we go back to some form of normal, I plan to never speak of COVID again. Who the Hell wants to re-live this shit?

Hunting/fishing related closures in Ontario can be found here.
Town of Clarington COVID-19 updates can be found here.
Province of Ontario COVID-19 updates can be found here.
Government of Canada COVID-19 updates can be found here.




1hr/espanol
1Ok/run+battle ropes
Blog

Lygenztia *460 (Phased re-opening of Ontario is in the works!) Monday April 27, 2020 (Ontario/down)

Worldwide stats provided by worldometers reported the global COVID-19 numbers finally topped the three million mark today at 3,007,194. (Deaths: 207,265 and Recovered: 883,306) I emphasize reported because there is a wide variance in testing and manner of reporting from country to country and place to place.

The world population is estimated to be: 7,778,451,673
World percentage currently affected by COVID-19 increased from last week to: 0.04% (from 0.03%)

As of 6:54 a.m. ET on Monday April 27, 2020:
Canada reported 46,895 confirmed and presumptive cases of COVID-19.

Canada's population is reported to be: 37,742,154
Canadian population currently affected by COVID-19 by percentage: 0.012%

The official Province of Ontario website reported 14,432 cases of COVID-19, with 8,000 resolved and 835 deaths.

Ontario's population was reported to be: 14.57 million (in 2019)
Ontario population currently affected by COVID-19 by percentage: 0.01%

Quebec continues to have the highest reported cases in the country with 23,267.

The Region of Durham reported 875 confirmed cases of COVID-19. The site also reports 12 current outbreaks at Hospitals, LTCF's and Retirement Homes with 3 having been resolved. As an aside, the Durham Region website is easy to use and very informative.

Durham Region's population is reported to be: 683, 600 (in 2018)
Durham Region population currently affected, by percentage: 0.013%

In international news,
New York's daily coronavirus death toll dropped to below 400, less than half of the deaths recorded at the height of the coronavirus crisis in the state's hospitals.

In national news,
Canada's top doctor warns against relying on herd immunity to reopen the economy. Canada's top doctor says there isn't enough evidence to back herd immunity as a way to reopen society, as Quebec's premier is considering the approach to restart his province's economy.

An associate professor of biology in Saskatchewan has raised the ire of other scientists after he claimed that most people in the province had already contracted the novel coronavirus and recovered from it, rendering the COVID-19 lockdown unnecessary.

In Ontario,
Over the weekend, Ontario Premier Doug Ford slammed a group of people protesting coronavirus-related restrictions outside Queen’s Park on Saturday, calling them a “bunch of yahoos.”

Great news today! Ontario sees the number of new cases of COVID-19 decline for a third straight day.

Today, Ontario unveiled guiding principles to reopen the Province. Our Premier and his Ministers Commit to New Phased Approach for a Safe Restart and Recovery. Full details here. The government is planning a stage-by-stage approach to reopening the economy to ensure there are appropriate measures in place so workplaces can open safely. Public health officials will carefully monitor each stage for two to four weeks, as they assess the evolution of the COVID-19 outbreak to determine if it is necessary to change course to maintain public health.

We really must do better in our Long Term Care Facilities in Ontario and COVID-19 has exposed a broken system. The Toronto Star reported that new Ontario COVID-19 data shows ‘appalling’ death numbers in long-term care. 180 outbreaks in Ontario LTCF's.

The Vaughan Costco reported five staff have confirmed cases of COVID-19. It is not expected this will affect store operations at this time.

Canadians have been told to stay home during the pandemic. Are we listening? Apparently not in Toronto (not at all surprisingly) more than 500 tickets were issued to people not following physical distancing rules.

In local happenings,
The Oshawa GM plant is set to start manufacturing PPE's. This is good news and hopefully this develops into long term, steady employment for the Oshawa area.

Canplex Profiles Inc. in Scugog has begun producing two types of face shields and is also creating components used to make other items in high demand during the coronavirus pandemic, such as cashier guards and sneeze guards.

The Orono Fair in September has cancelled because of COVID-19. Such a shame.

Hunting/fishing related closures in Ontario can be found here.
Town of Clarington COVID-19 updates can be found here.
Province of Ontario COVID-19 updates can be found here.
Government of Canada COVID-19 updates can be found here.

1hr/espanol
1Ok/run+battle ropes
Blog

Lygenztia *459 (#Strongertogether) Sunday April, 26, 2020 (Ontario/down)

Worldwide stats provided by worldometers put the global COVID-19 number of reported cases today at 2,991,073. (Deaths: 206,822 and Recovered: 877,126)
I emphasize reported because there is a wide variance in testing and manner of reporting from country to country and place to place.

As of 6:54 p.m. ET on Sunday April 26, 2020:
Canada reported 46,895 confirmed and presumptive cases of COVID-19.

The official Province of Ontario website reported 14,432 cases of COVID-19, with 8,00 resolved and 835 deaths.

Quebec continues to have the highest reported cases in the country with 23,267.

The Region of Durham reported 875 confirmed cases of COVID-19. The site also reports 12 current outbreaks at Hospitals, LTCF's and Retirement Homes with 3 having been resolved. As an aside, the Durham Region website is easy to use and very informative.

In international news,
North Korea leader Kim Jong Un's health continues to be a mystery. Reportedly he underwent cardiovascular surgery and was last seen April 11th.

The Trump disinfectant scandal continues to be an issue in the U.S. Fox news reported some U.S. states saw a spike in poison control calls following Trump's comments on injecting disinfectant.

In national news,
Tonight, Canada will be watching the national TV special "Stronger Together/Tous ensemble". It is a national fundraiser for Canadian food banks and helping the needy. I texted our donation, but I must admit the special was not quite as "up-lifting" as I had expected.

Nova Scotia continues to grieve.

New Brunswick is set to ease it's restrictions in a phased approach. They currently only have 118 cases in the entire province. Good news, indeed.

In Ontario,
The Ford government announced a ‘pandemic pay’ increase for frontline workers.

Ontario public schools will remain closed until May 31; at-home learning will continue. It's anyone's guess after May 31st.

There are concerns that garbage collection and policing could potentially be threatened by the COVID-19 cash crunch. We aren't there yet folks, but it's being talked about.

In local news,
I am pleasantly surprised, I have yet to see any negative stories related to the trout fishing season opener this weekend. Awesome, sometimes I like to be wrong. Good for the anglers!

Lakeridge Health is leading the response at Orchard Villa Long Term Care Facility in Pickering and a military medical unit will be on site soon.

Durham community gardens will be allowed to open this spring. The Province reversed an earlier decision that put community gardens on the list of closed amenities. Good news, also.

To make sure Durham’s homeless residents still have washrooms, showers and handwashing stations, the region and local municipalities are opening some facilities.

I picked up sweet potatoes on friday night at a local farm, Bragg's Wild Bird Seed. They were selling for .50 cents a pound, which is a very good price. Right now, the restaurants aren't buying them, so they are selling them directly to the public. Buy local where you can and when you can, folks. I do now and plan to once this is over. I can also tell you, unequivocally, I will never set foot in a dollar store again, nor will anyone in our household.

I picked up craft beer on friday night at my (second) favourite pub, the Bancroft Brew Pub. It was nice to (finally) again see the staff that were working and they appreciated the business. I don't "need" to buy beer there, but I believe in supporting our Ontario Craft Brewers in these tough times. Many are struggling, badly, so ditch the Coors and Budweiser for a few weeks and go grab some local Ontario Craft beer.....and wine, too!

If you develop COVID-19 symptoms, there is a breathing technique that is being touted as a remedy, of sorts. No idea if it actually works, but hey, it can't hurt. Here is the link.

Please remember, try to stay positive, try to follow the rules, help where you can and be kind.

Hunting/fishing related closures in Ontario can be found here.
Town of Clarington COVID-19 updates can be found here.
Province of Ontario COVID-19 updates can be found here.
Government of Canada COVID-19 updates can be found here.

TH-2020
1hr/espanol

Lygenztia *458 (Mykiss and gobble, gobble) Saturday April 25, 2020 (Ontario/down)

In international news,
While Canada is making progress, clearly Africa is not. Africa's 43 per cent jump in virus cases in 1 week worries experts.

The Las Vegas mayor calls for casinos to reopen but won't offer distancing guidelines.

Georgia is reopening hair salons, gyms and bowling alleys despite a rise in coronavirus deaths statewide.

France is testing whether nicotine could prevent coronavirus.

In national news,
The mass shooting investigation continues in Nova Scotia continues. The details are more and more shocking, as they trickle out.

The new normal? How COVID-19 could change Canada's grocery landscape forever.

Member of Parliament Derek Sloan continues to be a lightning rod after his comments about Dr. Teresa Tam. I fear, once the dust settles and COVID-19 is "over" (whatever that means) racism is going to be on the rise, particularly anti-asian. I hope not, but there are a lot of angry people out there.

In Ontario,
An Ontario Court ordered four Ontario long-term care homes to provide nurses with PPE.

Ontario’s schools could look a lot different when COVID-19 shutdown ends, says the Toronto Star.

Man assaulted outside a Mississauga grocery store, after warning about physical distancing.

In local news,
Context to the COVID-19 tragedy. 'She died alone': Durham family remembers grandmother who died of COVID-19 at Orchard Villa.

From the Toronto Sun, an Oshawa hairdressing school is accused of asking students to ignore health officials' advice.

Fishing and turkey hunting opened today, in most of Ontario.

If you develop COVID-19 symptoms, there is a breathing technique that is being touted as a remedy, of sorts. No idea if it actually works, but hey, it can't hurt. Here is the link.

Please remember, try to stay positive, try to follow the rules, help where you can and be kind.

Hunting/fishing related closures in Ontario can be found here.
Town of Clarington COVID-19 updates can be found here.
Province of Ontario COVID-19 updates can be found here.
Government of Canada COVID-19 updates can be found here.

TH-2020
1hr/espanol

Lygenztia *457 (#WearRedFriday) Friday April, 24, 2020 (Ontario/up)

Canadians are invited to take part in the RCMP's #WearRedFriday. Canadians from coast to coast are being asked to wear something red and share pictures, videos, and messages of support online using the hashtag #WearRedFriday this Friday, April 24.

Worldwide stats provided by worldometers put the global COVID-19 number of reported cases today at 2,736,188. A worldwide increase of 81,979 reported cases from yesterday, a significant decrease. (Deaths: 191,422 and Recovered: 751,799)
I emphasize reported because there is a wide variance in testing and manner of reporting from country to country and place to place.

As of 6:04 a.m. ET on Friday April 24, 2020, Canada reported 42,110 confirmed and presumptive cases of COVID-19. A daily increase of 1,920 new confirmed cases from yesterday, a significant decrease.

The official Province of Ontario website reported 12,879 cases of COVID-19. A reported daily increase of 634 new cases, which is significantly down by 430 cases from the previous daily report.

Quebec continues to have the highest reported cases in the country with 21,838 which is up by 873 from the previous day's report. Ontario and Quebec account for approximately 60% of Canada's overall reported cases. Alberta is in a distant third, with 3,720 reported cases.

Ontario's population (2019): 14.57 million
Quebec's population (2019): 8.485 million
Alberta's population (2019): 4.371 million
B.C. is kicking COVID-19's ass. Their population (2019) 5.071 million and their reported cases......1,824.

The Region of Durham reported 781 confirmed cases of COVID-19. An increase of 24 reported new cases from the day before, which is significantly down. The site also reports 12 current outbreaks at Hospitals, LTCF's and Retirement Homes with 2 having been resolved. As an aside, the Durham Region website is easy to use and very informative.

Clearly, Canada is making progress. Our daily reported numbers are steadily declining in every province in the country.

In international news,
In the U.S.A. homicide figures are similar, even higher, in some American cities despite stay-at-home orders.

Spain is set to let children outside after more than a month under their strict coronavirus lockdown.

From the "How the Hell are they going to do that?" file, Sports leagues are exploring ways to play in a COVID-19 world.

From the "That's scary" file, 2 cats in N.Y. become first U.S. pets to test positive for virus.

From Australia, can COVID-19 be spread by farts?

In the national news,
The news out of Nova Scotia is just heart wrenching. The Nova Scotia RCMP chief has had to defend their 'dynamic and fluid' response to the massacre. The RCMP has 'fairly good idea' the guns used in Nova Scotia mass shooting were acquired illegally, somehow. The large scale, unprecedented investigation is ongoing.

Saskatchewan will reopen in five phases, the premier says in provincial address.

As millions of people across Canada shelter in place to slow the spread of the coronavirus, there has been a surge in the popularity of baking at home, both for food and to pass the time. Early on, store shelves were cleared out of their flour. Anecdotal reports suggest flour has rivalled toilet paper as one of the hardest items to find. The surge in popularity of baking has Robin Hood running out of its iconic yellow bags, which is why the company has started to use nondescript white ones.

1 in 10 Canadians believes a coronavirus conspiracy theory, survey by CBC suggests. Personally, I think that number is low.

In Ontario,
Ontario's economy to reopen 'in a trickle' the premier says, after suggesting some relaxation by Victoria Day. However, he had to backtrack later in the day during further questioning by the media.

In sad news, our Premier Doug Ford broke into tears at a news conference where he confirmed his mother in law has tested positive for COVID-19.

Clearly, cases are on the decline in Ontario. On Thursday, Ontario reported 510 new cases of COVID-19, the lowest number so far this week. The province’s Associate Chief Medical Officer says out of today’s 510 new cases, 475 are reported to be in long-term care facilities.

Despite this, the Toronto Sun is reporting COVID-19 deaths and outbreaks are being under-reported in Ontario, based on information they reviewed from the Ontario Health Coalition.

Ontario Provincial Police are warning the public about a man who allegedly impersonated a police officer and stopped vehicles to question drivers about whether they were “essential workers.”

Remember a few days ago I suggested other grocery stores would follow T & T grocery stores with taking temps and wearing masks in the store? Well, Longo's food chain announced they are to begin daily temperature checks of employees, and are now 'strongly encouraging' customers to wear masks.

Locally,
Lakeridge Health has been called in after Durham’s Medical Officer of Health, Dr. Robert Kyle, ordered a Pickering retirement home to address the “immediate risk of COVID-19 to residents and staff” amid an outbreak.

From the "Love conquers all" file, a Bowmanville couple were married on Facebook. Derek Turnbull and Christina Thrasher saw their friends do a drive-by in front of their home on Meadowview Boulevard. Had there not been a COVID-19 outbreak, more than 50 people would have been in the Dominican Republic for their wedding. After being married on Facebook Live, friends did a celebratory drive-by immediately following the online service in Bowmanville.

Trout fishing season opens tonight at midnight. Let the shit show begin. A very popular fishing spot, the Ganaraska River in Port hope is mostly closed. The closure is not going to stop some anglers. I'll be posting follow up stories on this one, no doubt.

Hunting/fishing related closures in Ontario can be found here.















If you develop COVID-19 symptoms, there is a breathing technique that is being touted as a remedy, of sorts. No idea if it actually works, but hey, it can't hurt. Here is the link.

Please remember, try to stay positive, try to follow the rules, help where you can and be kind.

Town of Clarington COVID-19 updates can be found here.
Province of Ontario COVID-19 updates can be found here.
Government of Canada COVID-19 updates can be found here.

1hr/espanol

Lygenztia *456 (A day for optimism???) Thursday April, 23, 2020 (Ontario/up)

Worldwide stats provided by www.worldometers.info/coronavirus put the global COVID-19 number of reported cases today at 2,654,209. A worldwide increase of 157,210 reported cases from yesterday. (Deaths: 185,062 and Recovered: 727,886)
I emphasize reported because there is a wide variance in testing and reporting from country to country and place to place.

As of 6:44 a.m. ET on Thursday April 23, 2020:
Canada reported 40,190 confirmed and presumptive cases of COVID-19. A daily increase of 3,372 new confirmed cases from yesterday, a slight drop.

The official Province of Ontario website reported 12,245 cases of COVID-19. An increase of 1064 reported new cases, which is down by 90 from yesterday's daily report.

Quebec continues to have the highest reported cases in the country with 20,965, which is up by 839 from the previous day's report.

The Region of Durham reported 757 confirmed cases of COVID-19. An increase of 85 reported new cases from the day before, which is slightly down. The site also reports 12 current outbreaks at Hospitals, LTCF's and Retirement Homes with 2 having been resolved.

In the international news,
Another study out of California that suggests COVID-19 virus is much more widespread. An estimated 320,000 adults in Los Angeles County may have been infected with coronavirus, according to preliminary results of a study that suggests the illness is far more widespread than current testing shows and the death rate is actually much lower.

Coronavirus could have a deadlier second wave later this year, the U.S. CDC director warns.

Tensions are ratcheting up between the U.S. and China with Peter Navarro accusing China of committing 'four kills' with response to coronavirus pandemic.

"What that did over a six-week period is allow hundreds of thousands of Wuhanians basically to get on aircraft and seed the world," Navarro continued.

"While they were doing that, and this is just disgusting -- what they did was they vacuumed up all of the world's masks, gloves, goggles, personal protective equipment, two billion masks," he went on. "That's why in Milan, New York and other places, our people didn't have them. And now, Sean, you know what they're doing?

"What they're doing is profiteering from this crisis, charging ... for a 50-cent mask, $3, $4, $5 and more and sending us counterfeit tests," Navarro went on.

Is he wrong? You decide.

From the "You just can't make this shit up" file, a Nigerian woman, 68, gave birth to twins after four IVF attempts. New life is beautiful in the context of the current death and global tragedy, but.............

In the national news,
Distancing is working says Chief Public Health Officer Dr. Theresa Tam. Physical distancing has "prevented an explosive outbreak" in Canada, but we're not out of the woods yet.

Air Canada is suspending flights between Canada and U.S. starting April, 26.

So, our Global Public Health Intelligence Network was getting an overdue tech upgrade when COVID-19 hit. The online, multilingual monitoring and analysis unit, which scours the Internet for media reports of infectious diseases, has been a crucial pandemic tripwire for both Canada and the World Health Organization (WHO). So, we kinda missed another warning, it seems.

From the "Oh, for F*** sakes file" file, Health and safety inspection of Alberta meat plant linked to 515 COVID-19 cases was done by video call. Yep, a video call. The plant has since had to close for cleaning.

Tim Hortons employees will now be required to wear masks in an effort to limit the spread of COVID-19. This will spread to other fast food outlets, soon enough.

From the "Everybody gets money and nobody has to work file" Prime Minister Justin Trudeau announced Wednesday that students and recent graduates will soon be able to claim a new Canada Emergency Student Benefit of $1,250 a month from May to August.

In Ontario,
A glimmer of hope from Premier Ford. The Premier was interviewed on Ottawa radio station CFRA and said if we continue down the road we are currently on we could see a limited lifting of physical distancing restrictions by the long weekend in May. That is the weekend of May 16, 17, and 18. Of course, that date could change depending on how the spread of COVID-19 progresses.

There will be no jury trials in Ontario until at least September.

A full 60-percent of Ontario’s COVID-19 cases are in the GTA; with 14 more outbreaks in long-term care homes. Toronto, continues to be a problem with public officials struggling to get people to adhere to social distancing and closure by-laws.

Premier Ford has asked the army to assist at five Ontario long-term care homes hit hardest by COVID-19.

Some good news for our seniors. Ontario is reported to be investing millions to assist the province’s most vulnerable citizens.

In crummy news, Toronto's top doctor released a chart showing COVID-19 data. It suggests that a second wave is likely.

The media, at times, frustrates me. I understand and respect the importance but sometimes, they are competing for coverage and readership. I get that. But CP24 reported "Ford to make announcement at Queen's Park with province at presumed peak of COVID-19 pandemic." That's all fine and dandy, but Premier Ford makes an announcement about COVID-19 everyday, and he has for more than the last month. This is not news, it's just a "hook" to keep you on their site and reading their links. I'm not picking on CP24, I like their coverage and all media outlets do this, but it can be frustrating.

Locally,
From the "awe" file, the Whitby Wildcats minor atoms were named Ontario Minor Hockey Association co-champions.

In Ajax, you can use your empties to feed local families at the Ajax Beer Store.

Many of us are losing track of time and this is normal, experts say. Here is how you can stop it. They suggest you create new rituals, introduce variety, be creative, learn how to relax your mind and most importantly, stay connected.

Finally, trout fishing opens in Ontario this weekend. It will be interesting to see that unfold with trespassing, fights and some anglers ignoring social distancing rules. More to come on that, no doubt.

If you develop COVID-19 symptoms, there is a breathing technique that is being touted as a remedy, of sorts. No idea if it actually works, but hey, it can't hurt. Here is the link.

Please remember, try to stay positive, try to follow the rules, help where you can and be kind.

Hunting/fishing related closures in Ontario can be found here.
Town of Clarington COVID-19 updates can be found here.
Province of Ontario COVID-19 updates can be found here.
Government of Canada COVID-19 updates can be found here.

Lygenztia *455 (Earth Day-2020) Wednesday April, 22, 2020 (Ontario/up)

Today, is Earth Day. They ask that you join them on April 22, as they flood the world with hope, optimism and action.

Worldwide stats provided by www.worldometers.info/coronavirus put the global COVID-19 number of reported cases today at 2,572,603. A worldwide increase of 75,604 cases reported from yesterday. I emphasize reported because there is a wide variance in testing and reporting from country to country and place to place.

I am no longer going to report the percentages by jurisdiction daily and will do it once per week, on Mondays.

As of 6:05 a.m. ET on Wednesday April 22, 2020:
Canada reported 38, 422 confirmed and presumptive cases of COVID-19. A daily increase of 1,604 new reported cases from yesterday.

Based on the official Ontario COVID-19 website, today Ontario reported 11,735 cases of COVID-19. An increase of 551 daily reported new cases from yesterday, which is down from the previous day.

Quebec continues to have the highest numbers in the country with 20,126 reported cases, which is up by 807 from the previous day.

The Region of Durham reported 712 672 confirmed cases of COVID-19 yesterday. An increase of 40 reported new cases from the day before.

Internationally,
President Trump announced he will suspend all immigration into the U.S. over coronavirus. I'll be curious to see who works on their American farms, this spring.

Under the "Say what?" file...Tens of thousands gather for funeral in Bangladesh, sparking outbreak fears. What do you even say to that?

The World Health Organization reported all available evidence suggests COVID-19 had animal origin and wasn't produced in lab. I'm not convinced, not one bit.

From the freaky file, in Europe conspiracy theorists burn 5G towers claiming a link to the virus.

Take a guess which country got us, yet again? Cananda had two planes return empty from China, as they were unable to load the PPE we had purchased. Further, the N95 masks they are sending us are faulty and are prone to tearing. To say the response from our Prime Minister was meek, is to give him too much credit.

New Zealand's COVID-19 'eradication' strategy looks to be paying off, as they had imposed very strict conditions on its citizens.

In the national news,
Canadians continue to reel from the shocking killing spree in Nova Scotia. More details are starting to emerge and it is grisly. There is already criticism of the manner in which officials warned the public. I'm not ready to go there, yet. Like COVID-19, this was a first for officials and first responders, who did the best they could in the circumstances.

This one is a little scary as Ottawa is watching the Canadian food supply chain 'very, very carefully' after Alberta outbreak at a massive meat processing plant. Meat prices could go up now that a massive processing plant in Alberta has temporarily shut itself down following a COVID-19 outbreak — but it's not likely to lead to a domestic shortage, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said.

In Ontario,
Toronto is in the coronavirus peak, but pandemic activity ‘slowing down,’ the medical officer of health says. Toronto continues to see rising per capita spread and numbers that exceed similar jurisdictions in the rest of Canada. So, is it epidemiology, population density, failure to adhere to social distancing, or a combination of all 3 factors?

Some are calling for race related data to be gathered, as COVID-19 appears to be affecting certain racial groups disproportionately. Ontario's Premier is resisting this type of study and prefers the study/survey be conducted by postal code.

Officials are working on a plan for 'gradual' reopening of Ontario, the premier says. That said, our Premier is "begging" for patience.

The reporting of outbreaks in Ontario Long Term Care homes is flawed and clearly not representative of the actual numbers says Global News. Not all Ontario public health units will disclose which homes have reported deaths due to privacy concerns. The data may be higher due to reporting delays between Ontario’s public health units and compilation by the provincial health ministry.

A Toronto Star investigation this week found that some public health units are disclosing more deaths than what is being reported by Public Health Ontario.

The reporting of COVID-19 varies a great deal from one public health unit, to another. I'm not being critical, that's just the way it is. The Region of Durham breaks cases down by town within the region. Hastings and Prince Edward Counties (which geographically is huge) does not break the numbers down at all and only reports on total cases in the county.

Locally,
Two of the victims of the Nova Scotia killing spree have been identified as Dawn Madsen and Frank Gulenchyn, originally from Oshawa. We mourn their loss. A GoFundMe campaign was created to support Dawn’s son, who is reported to be a security guard at Lakeridge Health’s Oshawa ER.

The Durham Region Health Department has released more information in regards to the outbreaks at long-term care (LTC) and retirement homes (RH) in the region. As part of their ‘Data Tracker’ they now provide information on homes with cases and their status.

The Town of Scugog has issued 'many' warnings, but no tickets to pandemic scofflaws.

Pretty cool story about a local Whitby boy, 13, who designed a COVID-19 'zombie' video to help stop the spread.

Special weather statement issued for Durham Region, yesterday. An extreme wind warning. We have had more than our share of extreme wind, as of late and to me the frequency is unusual. This morning, there is a light skiff of now on the ground. I've had quite enough of that nonsense.

My second favourite pub has opened for take out and craft beer pick up! Thank you, Bancroft Brew Pub and good luck. Awesome servers, awesome food and amazing craft beer.

If you develop COVID-19 symptoms, there is a breathing technique that is being touted as a remedy, of sorts. No idea if it actually works, but hey, it can't hurt. Here is the link.

Please remember, try to stay positive, try to follow the rules, help where you can and be kind.

Hunting/fishing related closures in Ontario can be found here.
Town of Clarington COVID-19 updates can be found here.
Province of Ontario COVID-19 updates can be found here.
Government of Canada COVID-19 updates can be found here.

Lygenztia *454 (The tragedy continues to unfold in Nova Scotia) Tuesday April 21, 2020 (Ontario/up)

Worldwide stats provided by www.worldometers.info/coronavirus put the global COVID-19 numbers of reported cases today at 2,496,999. A worldwide increase of 151,523 cases reported from yesterday. I emphasize reported because there is a wide variance in testing and reporting from country to country and place to place.

The world population is estimated to be: 7,778,451,673
World percentage currently affected by COVID-19 remains at: 0.03%

As of 6:35 a.m. ET on Tuesday April 21, 2020:
Canada reported 36,818 confirmed and presumptive cases of COVID-19. A daily increase of 3,435 new confirmed cases from yesterday.

Canada's population is reported to be: 37,742,154
Canadian population currently affected by COVID-19 by percentage: 0.01%

Ontario reported 11,184 cases of COVID-19 on Saturday. An increase of 1174 reported new cases from yesterday, which is up.

Ontario's population was reported to be: 14.57 million (in 2019)
Ontario population currently affected by COVID-19 by percentage increased today to: 0.08% (from 0.07%)

Of note, Quebec currently has 19,319, which is up 1,798. Up over triple the daily cases from the day before.

The Region of Durham reported 672 confirmed cases of COVID-19 yesterday. An increase of 104 reported new cases from the day before, which is triple the previous one day report.

Durham Region's population is reported to be: 683, 600 (in 2018)
Durham Region population currently affected, by percentage dropped to: 0.01% (from 0.02%)

In international news,
Jalisco (a state in Mexico) announced that "public force" will be used to enforce the social distancing rules.

The situation in the U.S. is getting very tense in some states. Anger over shelter-in-place orders boiled over this weekend, with protesters ignoring social distancing guidelines and packing sidewalks and streets. "Freedom over fear," read one protester's sign in Indiana. "Shutdown the shutdown," another sign in Maryland said. This is a scary situation and I hope and pray it does not get out of control.

In the national news,
In Nova Scotia, the tragedy continues to unfold. A 12 hour killing spree and 16 crime scenes are currently being probed. Burned out houses with victims inside are being found as the investigation unfolds. The story gets sadder by the hour and we have been told the death toll will increase. Canada continues to mourn.....

A disagreement among federal parliament members and parties as to when/how it will reconvene.

The border with the U.S. will remain closed for another 30 days.

Oil continues to crash and futures are selling at "less than zero", something never seen in my lifetime. World crude oil prices remain at record lows, but prices in my area are creeping up. One thing you can always count on, the oil companies will screw Canadians every chance they get.

In Ontario,
We finally have some good news in Ontario. It appears that COVID-19 cases have peaked in Ontario and the numbers are much better than the models predicted. New daily hospitalizations are now decreasing. In his daily press conference yesterday Doug Ford announced that COVID-19 community spread 'appears to have peaked' in Ontario, but long-term care cases continue to rise. Updated COVID-19 models suggest community spread of the novel coronavirus appears to have peaked earlier than expected in Ontario, public health officials say, but they caution the public must "stay the course" to ensure a best-case scenario remains achievable in the weeks ahead.

Health officials have been very clear in that there are 2 outbreaks in Ontario; one in the public and one in long term care facilities. Sadly, the LTCF numbers are accelerating. But public transmission is on the decline.

It looks like we may be turning the corner on this pandemic scourge. That said, we still need to be cautious. Ontario Premier Doug Ford says returning to normal without a vaccine for the novel coronavirus “means putting lives as risk.”

A jail in Brampton (Ontario Correctional Institute) is to be shut down amid an outbreak of COVID-19. Correctional Officers and inmates have been confirmed to have COVID-19, so the inmates are being moved to another facility to be quarantined.

Toronto Mayor John Tory announced the eventual reopening of city is likely to be phased in over period of months.

There was another stabbing in Toronto, last night. That makes about 390 days in a row for that type of thing. (number not confirmed) Those Torontonian's tend to be very stabby people. Ah yes, Toronto. This weekend alone, hundreds of vehicles were turned away from Scarborough’s Bluffer’s Park. That's right, hundreds. Odd, we are not seeing similar reports from other cities in our province. At least not with the frequency of Hogtown.

The province and high school teachers are finally at peace in contract talks and have come to a contract agreement.

I had an idea for my blog, I wanted to find a story from random towns in Ontario and then post it. It didn't really pan out like i'd hoped. I scanned the news in towns from all 4 corners of the province and they are all strikingly similar. I looked North, South, West and East and most are COVID-19 affected people, closures and updates. "Local" news coverage is quiet and relaxed, it appears the local news cycle has waned.

Locally,
According to Dr. Dan Ricciuto, of Lakeridge Health COVID-19 numbers are holding steady and coming down and this is happening because of the sheltering in place that people have been doing. "It’s actually working,” he said.

The website created to track line-ups at stores has become a handy (and telling) tool. As of 9:15 am the line up for Metro at 9:15 am is 15 minutes, the line up at Loblaws is 25 minutes.

Durham Region has seen unemployment numbers spike in wake of coronavirus. The Financial Accountability Office (FAO), an agency that provides analysis of the province’s finances, trends in the provincial economy and related matters important to the Legislative Assembly of Ontario, released a report on Thursday, April 16 noting 403,000 jobs were lost in Ontario in March.

Ironically, I have spoken to two employers in my community that are unable to hire workers that they need, as people just are not applying or seeking work right now. Most of us knew this was coming. A recent article in the Financial Post posits 'Why work during the coronavirus crisis when you can earn as much — or even more — staying home?' The Canada CERB benefit needs to be looked at again, i'm not saying there is not a need but the program requires some scrutiny.

If you develop COVID-19 symptoms, there is a breathing technique that is being touted as a remedy, of sorts. No idea if it actually works, but hey, it can't hurt. Here is the link.

Please remember, try to stay positive, help where you can and be kind. (I have removed "try to follow the rules", because as closely as I have followed this I am not sure what they are, either.) And, if you live in Toronto, apparently you can do whatever you like.

Lygenztia *453 (Canada, an entire country in mourning today) Monday, April 20, 2020 (Ontario/up)

Worldwide stats provided by www.worldometers.info/coronavirus put the global COVID-19 numbers of reported cases today at 2,419,198. A one day increase of 73,722 cases worldwide reported from yesterday. I emphasize reported because there is a wide variance in testing and reporting from country to country and place to place.

The world population is estimated to be: 7,778,451,673
World percentage currently affected by COVID-19 remains at: 0.03%
(source: World Health organization)

For further context, India is one of the world's most populous countries. It has a population of 1.38 billion, and the COVID-19 caseload is small, it's currently only at 16,000.

As of 6:35 a.m. ET on Monday April 20, 2020;
Canada reported 35,056 confirmed and presumptive cases of COVID-19. An increase of 1,653 new confirmed cases from the day before.

Canada's population is reported to be: 37,742,154
Canadian population currently affected by COVID-19 by percentage: 0.08%

Ontario reported 568 new cases of the novel coronavirus Sunday morning, bringing the total number of cases in the province to 10,578. Thirty-nine new deaths were reported, bringing the death toll in the province to 553. Sunday’s report marks the largest increase in cases since the outbreak began, ahead of Friday’s increase of 564. On Saturday, officials said that the data may have been incomplete due to reporting issues with Toronto Public Health.

Ontario's population was reported to be: 14.57 million (in 2019)
Ontario population currently affected by COVID-19 by percentage remains at: 0.07%

Of note, Quebec currently has 18,357, up 836 cases from the day before.

The Region of Durham reported 621 confirmed cases of COVID-19 on Sunday. An increase of 53 reported new cases from the day before. So far, 233 have recovered.

Durham Region's population is reported to be: 683, 600 (in 2018)
Durham Region population currently affected, by percentage remains at: 0.02%

In international news,
Italy, which was extremely hard hit by COVID-19 is preparing to relax its citizen lock-down.

While we are on the lock-down topic; as previously mentioned India has the tightest citizen restrictions in the entire world, right now. And the result? No effect on slowing the spread. None. Read it here, it's well worth your time.

Under the "Say what?" file...a study out of Stanford University (California) found that 50 times more people than projected have had COVID-19 and are now immune. I didn't say it, they did. I've said it before, i'll say it again...who really knows?

South Korea reported just eight new cases of COVID-19 as infections continue to drop.

In the national news,
Terrible shooting in Nova Scotia, yesterday. The shooter appears to have dressed as an RCMP officer and somehow managed to put together a replica of an RCMP cruiser with decals, lights and the whole bit. An RCMP officer Constable Heidi Stevenson is among 17 confirmed dead in the Nova Scotia shooting spree. The suspected shooter was killed after being intercepted by officers in Enfield, N.S. This is one of the time-lines that I could find. The shooter was identified as a dentist, 51 year old Gabriel Wortman. All of Canada is in mourning for the victims, which have not been identified yet.

In an unprecedented situation, Canadian food producers are working 24/7 to keep up with demand. Since the arrival of the COVID-19 pandemic, consumer demand has soared, eclipsing that of food production companies busiest time. In March, there were more orders during one week than are typically seen in the entire month.

In an article filed by the Toronto Star, according to some scientist's, to conquer COVID-19, more people need to get sick. Here’s how governments will decide who to put in the line of fire, first.

Canadians are reporting more wildlife sightings during COVID-19 isolation. A bear was spotted in the central-west area of Peterborough yesterday.

In Ontario,
Testing continues to be an issue in Ontario and this is clearly frustrating our Premier.

T & T supermarket in Toronto has initiated temperature checks of staff....and customers. This is not quite as serious as it appears and the checks are “voluntary”, meaning you do not have to submit to one, to go into the store.

Inmates are awaiting test results at a Brampton jail after 3 correctional officers test positive for COVID-19.

Civil liberties groups are calling for amnesty for recreational tickets issued during COVID-19. The Canadian Civil Liberties Association has received at least 100 public complaints over the past 10 days from those who have been ticketed by bylaw or police officers.

Locally,
">Whitby opened up the parking lot and washrooms at Iroquois Park Arena to truckers so they can rest and clean up. Nice gesture, for sure.

Cabin fever must have hit these two guys in Whitby over the weekend. So, one dude stabs another dude. So then, the dude that got stabbed chased down the dude that stabbed him and then beat his ass with a golf club. You know, just the usual saturday afternoon stuff.

Clarington closed its off-leash dog parks. I guess all of the affairs that started and continue to take place there will have to suspend activity, or find another venue.

Clarington was also the first township in Ontario to announce tax penalty relief for its property owners. They are not forgiving property tax, they are waiving penalties for late payments. The two-month penalty relief will be effective on the April instalment, with no penalties or interest charged in May or June. In addition, Clarington will also waive any service fees for residents who have insufficient funds.

On a personal note, the weekend was good. We got up to the cabin and did some spring clean-up. We took a walk in the woods and took the last maple sap spiles out of the trees. Saturday night, a nice video chat with friends and (more than a few) drinks.

If you develop COVID-19 symptoms, there is a breathing technique that is being touted as a remedy, of sorts. No idea if it actually works, but hey, it can't hurt. Here is the link.

Please remember, try to stay positive, try to follow the rules, help where you can and be kind.