Worldwide stats provided by worldometers put the global COVID-19 number of reported cases today at 4,543,060. (97,140 new+) (Deaths: 303,707 and Recovered: 1,712,895) I emphasize reported because there is a wide variance in testing and manner of reporting from country to country and place to place. If I had to guess, i'd say the actual number of cases is 10 times that which is being reported.
As of 5:57 a.m. ET on Friday May 15, 2020:
From Global News, Canada reported 73,389 confirmed cases (1,123 new+) of COVID-19.
The official Province of Ontario website is reporting 21,494 total confirmed cases (258 new-) and 1,798 total deaths. Currently, there are 1,026 people are in hospital with 184 in ICU. Yesterday was a great day for Ontario, with the lowest reported cases in six weeks.
++ONTARIO UPDATE++ (11:50 a.m)
I orignially published very early this morning; now this: Ontario admits data glitch incorrectly reported lowest number of new COVID-19 cases in six weeks
The tin-hat crowd are going to have a field day with this one, and who knows maybe they are right. Because, in the entire civilized world right now, it appears to me that nobody knows anything for certain about COVID-19.
Ontario actually recorded 341 new COVID-19 cases not 258, while noting that a data error on Thursday incorrectly reported the lowest number of new patients in six weeks. At the end of the day, it's a difference of 87 cases, but when these errors occur you have to wonder what's right, what isn't and whether any of it is accurate.
Are they trying? Damn right they are, but it's just so big and new and unwieldy.....
Quebec continues to have the highest reported cases in the country with 40,724. (792 new+)
The Region of Durham reported 1,201 confirmed cases of COVID-19. (7 new-) The site also reports 18 (3 new+) current outbreaks at Hospitals, LTCF's and Retirement Homes with 9 of the outbreaks having been "concluded." Currently, there are 73 (1 new+) cases in Clarington.
In international news,
From the "How about we not keep invasive giant lizards as pets?" file, Georgia officials are asking the public to help them track 4-foot long, invasive lizards. Georgia officials are working to completely eradicate a lizard they say poses a major threat to some of the state's native wildlife: the Argentine black and white tegus. The lizards are legal in Georgia as pets. Officials are asking that Georgian's report sightings, or kill the bastards. (humanely, of course) "Wanted - Dead or Alive" by Bon Jovi is suddenly playing in my head.
From the Epoch Times, Wuhan Locals Describe Panic as City Experiences Second-Wave Outbreak. As Wuhan, the central Chinese city where the CCP virus first emerged, experiences another wave of infections, residents told The Epoch Times that authorities were downplaying the scale of the current outbreak, and expressed fear of contracting the virus. Earlier in the week, authorities announced six new infections in Wuhan on May 10 and 11. Then, on May 14, Wuhan residents shared a video on social media showing several workers installing a steel panel at the entrance to the compound. “They fully sealed the [Sanmin] residential compound with steel panels. The authorities are very extreme! I can’t understand,” a Wuhan resident told the Chinese-language Epoch Times.
From the "Don't blame me, I didn't say it" file, the World Health Organization warns that COVID-19 may be here to stay. The coronavirus may never go away and populations will just have to learn to live with it just as they have HIV, the World Health Organization has warned.
In national news,
Justin shrugs off 'few' CERB fraudsters, saying Ottawa didn't want to 'paralyze' payments program with checks. "Getting that help to the 99 per cent of Canadians who needed it quickly and rapidly — even if it meant accepting that one or two per cent might make fraudulent claims — was the choice that we gladly made,” he said.
Could he be buying votes, with taxpayer money? No, of course not that would be cynical and un-patriotic of me to even entertain such a notion.
From the "Oh, come on now" file, Yesterday, I railed at the lack of support for our farmers at the federal level. Since then, this has been announced "Province and feds investing $2.25-million to protect farm workers’ health." The new cash is also meant to help ensure the continued supply of fresh, healthy food for Ontario families by enhancing health and safety measures on farms. It’ll be used to help buy more personal protective equipment (PPE) for workers, enhance cleaning at facilities and redesign workstations. Support is also available for farmers who have experienced unexpected costs for things like housing and transportation, as a result of a COVID-19 outbreak among on-farm employees.
Consider this, my friends...StatsCan reports that Ontario has 49,600 farms in 2016. (Yes, you read that number correctly.) Do you know what 2.25 million dollars divided into 49,600 is?
$45.30 (FOURTY FIVE DOLLARS and THIRTY CENTS)
Now, before you yell and scream, I fully realize this is not how the money will be doled out. But it does give you an indication of the insignificance of this money and how our farmers are being overlooked in all this mess.
In Ontario,
Big, big announcements from Premier Ford yesterday. The following is the list of businesses that can re-open. We are now in Phase 1 of the re-opening stage, which could be in place for 2-4 weeks depending on the case(s) numbers as the days unfold. Then, if the numbers are improving, we move to Stage 2. One thing of note, I was watching our Chief Medical Officer of Health, Dr. David Williams during the daily update. He appeared nervous, unsure and not in sync with the province in terms of re-opening. His message was not nearly as re-assuring as that of our premier.
The list of businesses set to open is long, so skip over it if you wish:
May 16 (Saturday)
-Golf courses will be able to open, with clubhouses open only for washrooms and restaurants open only for take-out.
-Marinas, boat clubs and public boat launches may open for recreational use.
-Private parks and campgrounds may open to enable preparation for the season and to allow access for trailers and recreational vehicles whose owners have a full season contract.
-Businesses that board animals, such as stables, may allow boarders to visit, care for or ride their animal.
May 19 (Tuesday)
Construction
-All construction to resume and essential workplace limits lifted, includes land surveyors.
Retail
In addition to retail operating online, or with curbside pickup and delivery, all retail can open under the following restrictions and guidelines:
-No indoor malls
-Must have a street-front entrance
-Open in-store by appointment and/or by limiting the number of people in the store at any one time. Retailers would need to restrict the number of customers per square metre to ensure physical distancing of 2 metres at all times.
-Only fitting rooms with doors would be used, not curtains, to facilitate disinfecting.
(Retailers will need to restrict use to every second fitting room at any one time to allow for cleaning after use and ensure physical distancing.)
Vehicle dealerships and retailers
-New and used car, truck, and motorcycle dealers.
-Recreational vehicle (RV) dealers (e.g., campers, motor homes, trailers, travel trailers).
-Boat, watercraft and marine supply dealers.
-Other vehicle dealers of motorized bicycles, golf carts, scooters, snowmobiles, ATVs, utility trailers, etc.
Media operations
Office-based media operations involving equipment that does not allow for remote working, including:
-Sound recording, such as production, distribution, publishing, studios
-Film and television post-production, film and television animation studios
-Publishing: periodical, book, directory, software, video games
-Interactive digital media, such as computer systems design and related services (e.g., programming, video game design and development)
-Media activities that can be completed while working remotely have been encouraged to continue during the Restart phase
-Filming or other on-site activities, especially those that require the gathering of workers, performers or others are not permitted to resume in Stage 1
Scheduled surgeries (public and private facilities)
-Non-emergency diagnostic imaging and surgeries in public hospitals, private hospitals and independent health facilities, clinics, and private practices to resume based on ability to meet specified pre-conditions including the MOH framework: A Measured Approach to Planning for Surgeries and Procedures During the COVID-19 Pandemic, contains clear criteria that must be met before hospitals can resume scheduled surgeries.
-Scheduled surgical and procedural work to resume once “Directive #2 for Health Care Providers (Regulated Health Professionals or Persons who operate a Group Practice of Regulated Health Professionals)” is amended or revoked, which relies on hospitals meeting criteria outlined in A Measured Approach to Planning for Surgeries and Procedures During the COVID-19.
Health services
-Allowing certain health and medical services to resume, such as in-person counselling and scheduled surgeries based on the ability to meet pre- specified conditions as outlined in A Measured Approach to Planning for Surgeries and Procedures During the COVID-19 Pandemic, as well as resuming professional services such as shifting Children’s Treatment Centres from virtual to in-person.
-In-person counselling to resume including psychotherapy and other mental health and support services. Some of these services were available in-person for urgent needs. For example:
-Addiction counselling
-Crisis intervention
-Family counselling
-Offender rehabilitation
-Palliative care counselling
-Parenting services
-Rape crisis centres
-Refugee services
Community services
-Libraries for pick-up or delivery
Outdoor recreational amenities
-Marinas can resume recreational services
-Pools will remain closed
Individual recreational sports
-Outdoor recreational sports centres for sports not played in teams will open with limited access to facilities (e.g., no clubhouse, no change rooms, washrooms and emergency aid only). Examples of sports centres include:
-Tennis courts
-Rod and gun clubs
-Cycling tracks (including BMX)
-Horse riding facilities
-Indoor rod and gun clubs and indoor golf driving ranges
Individual sports competitions without spectators
-Professional and amateur sport activity for individual/single competitors, including training and competition conducted by a recognized Provincial Sport Organization, National Sport Organization, or recognized national Provincial training centres (e.g., Canadian Sport Institute Ontario) with return to play protocols in place and no spectators, except for an accompanying guardian for a person under the age of 18 years.
This includes indoor and outdoor non-team sport competitions that can be played under physical distancing measures. This includes:
-Water sports on lakes and outdoor bodies of water
-Racquet sports, such as tennis, ping pong, badminton
-Animal-related sports, such as dog racing, agility, horse racing
-Other sports such as: track and field, car and motorcycle racing, figure skating, fencing, rock climbing, gymnastics, etc.
-Swimming pools will remain closed. As a result, water-based sports competitions are excluded if not conducted on lakes or outdoor bodies of
water.
High-contact sports are not allowed even if they are non-team. These include sports where physical distancing cannot be practiced such as:
-Racquetball, squash, boxing, wrestling sports, martial arts, etc.
Professional services related to research and development
-Professional services related to conducting research and experimental development in physical, engineering and life sciences including electronics, computers, chemistry, oceanography, geology, mathematics, physics, environmental, medicine, health, biology, botany, biotechnology, agriculture, fisheries, forestry, pharmacy, veterinary and other allied subjects.
Emissions inspection facilities
-All emissions inspection facilities for heavy diesel commercial motor vehicles, including mobile inspection facilities.
Veterinary services
-Veterinary services can resume all services by appointment.
Animal services
-Pet grooming services
-Pet sitting services
-Dog walking services
-Pet training services
-Training and provision of service animals
-Effective May 16, 2020, businesses that board animals (e.g., stables) may allow boarders to visit, care for, or ride their animal
Indoor and outdoor household services
Private households could now employ workers on or about the premises in activities primarily concerned with the operation of the household such as:
-Domestic services: housekeepers, cooks, maids, butlers, personal affairs management, nanny services, babysitters, other domestic personnel, etc.
-Cleaning and maintenance service: house cleaning, indoor/outdoor painting, window cleaning, pool cleaning, general repairs.
Maintenance
-General maintenance, and repair services can resume, and are no longer limited to “strictly necessary” maintenance.
This is great news, that's if these businesses are able to actually procure staff. Remember CERB? "Hide and Seek for $500/week!"
From the "Pot, meet kettle" file, cottage area locals are asking people to please stay home this long weekend. Full disclosure, I am biased as I have recreational property but this really grinds my gears. Many people in the north have no problem coming "down" to larger centres to shop, get medical (and other) services, but they do not want people coming up there. Speak to the northern businesses (which I do) and they appreciate the business. If I can go to Toronto to a clothing store, sit my ass in a change room to try something on, then I sure as Hell can go sit in the woods at my cabin.
The province is set to expand COVID-19 testing guidelines; allowing anyone with symptoms to be tested. At this point, Health Minister Christine Elliott says almost every long-term care home resident and worker has been tested for the virus, so it’s also time to expand testing for other vulnerable populations, like people in retirement homes, shelters and group homes.
Locally,
Well, it's the second long weekend of the pandemic times. The May 24 is a bit early this year and the weather is not looking good, but let's try to make the most out of it. Conservation areas and provincial parks are back open for day use. Pack a lunch, some bevvies, a radio, (some toilet paper), get out there and enjoy!
Shop local and support small business and farms when things reopen, says Clarington. Here, here!
Valleyview Homes Bowmanville donated $30,000 to local charities. The company says the cash is going to Feed the Need in Durham, Clarington East Food Bank and Bethesda House, to help support families during the COVID-19 pandemic. BRAVO!
5 things to know for Friday, May 15, 2020.
Wait times in grocery (and other) stores can be found here.
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.
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