Worldwide stats provided by worldometers put the global COVID-19 number of reported cases today at 5,423,941. (Deaths: 344,338 and Recovered: 2,256,745) 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 6:31 a.m. ET on Sunday May 24, 2020:
From Global News, Canada reported 83,608 2,469 confirmed cases of COVID-19. (1,139 new+)
The official Province of Ontario website is reporting 25,040 total confirmed cases (412 new+) and 2,048 total deaths. Currently, there are 912 people are in hospital with 147 in ICU. 19,146 cases have been resolved. Ontario has seen a disturbing uptick in cases in the last 6 days. ++UPDATE++ at 10:48 a.m. Ontario records another spike in new COVID-19 cases. The province recorded 460 new cases of the novel coronavirus Sunday morning, the fourth straight day that daily case numbers have been above 400. Sunday’s report marks the highest number of new cases reported in Ontario since May 8th, when 477 new cases were confirmed.
Quebec continues to have the highest reported cases in the country with 46,838. (697 new+)
The Region of Durham reported 1,342 confirmed cases (18 new+) of COVID-19. The site also reports 11 (none new) current outbreaks at Hospitals, LTCF's and Retirement Homes with 17 outbreaks having been "concluded." Currently, there are 80 (one new+) cases in Clarington. In Durham Region the community spread rate of the cases currently sits at 20%, with 60% being contracted in institutional settings.
In international news,
The United States continues to lead the world reporting 1,666,829 cases of COVID-19.
From the New York Times, Hong Kong protesters, subdued for months by the virus, are back on the streets. On Sunday, police officers fired tear gas as hundreds of protesters flouted social-distancing rules to demonstrate against China’s plans to impose national security laws on the semi-autonomous territory. Protesters gathered in a central shopping district around midday, chanting slogans against the government and the Chinese Communist Party like “Heavens will destroy the C.C.P.” and “Hong Kong independence is the only way out.”
Also, The New York Times posted the names of the COVID-19 victims on its front page today.
From The Telegraph in Britain, according to Professor Michael Levitt of Stanford University the U.K. lockdown saved no lives and may have cost them. He also predicts that the U.K. will be rid of Covid-19 "within weeks".
In national news,
Much is being made of Vitamin D and it's potential for COVID-19 prevention and treatment. Researchers in Edmonton are among several groups around the world looking into whether there’s any benefit of boosting vitamin D levels in a patient’s blood as a means of protecting them against COVID-19. However; depending on what/where you read it has potential, or it is useless. If you search "Vitamin D cure coronavirus" the first stories that populate the search are medical journals which indicate Vitamin D is of no use. So, the jury is out.
From the "Isn't it ironic?" file, four of five political parties, the Conservatives, the Liberals, the NDP, and the Green Party have experienced a financial crunch as political donations have dried up in the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic. The Tories and Liberals have applied and are receiving the Canada Emergency Wage Subsidy. The NDP and Green Party have applied but haven’t received the aid yet. The subsidy covers up to 75-percent of each employee’s salary to a maximum of $847 per worker per week. Could they not have been re-deployed to long term care facilities, hospitals and other institutions?
In Ontario,
Be careful with that hand sanitizer in your vehicle, folks. Experts say, it can be a fire risk, apparently! Doctors with Alberta’s Health Services say leaving a bottle in your vehicle for a long time could cause a fire, especially if the sanitizer has a high alcohol content. My guess, we will see exactly "zero" accidental fires related to hand sanitizer, unless someone decides they need a new vehicle, "cough, cough."
From the "This is why it's going to be around Toronto for the foreseeable future" file, Toronto officials expressed their disappointment Saturday after large crowds gathered at a downtown Toronto Park to enjoy the summer-like weather appeared to have ignored physical distancing rules. Thousands of people packed Trinity Bellwoods Park, located near Queen Street West and Ossington Avenue, despite repeated calls from public health officials to avoid large gatherings as Ontario continues to see a rise of new COVID-19 cases after being on the decline for weeks. The Toronto Mayor really chastised them, though. He called them "disappointing." Phew, go easy there John...you're going to offend someone.
Earlier this week, Premier Doug Ford told reporters that he wouldn’t hesitate “to roll things back” if he upward trend continues but when questioned on Friday he wouldn’t say what sort of numbers would make him reconsider the gradual reopening of the province. Yesterday, was the sixth straight day in which the rolling five-day average of new cases has increased after being on the decline for weeks. The rolling five-day average had dipped to 326 on Monday but since then has risen to 360, 370, 375, 395 and now 416.
Ontario has many group homes for young offenders, which typically house youths up to 18 years old. I wondered, is COVID-19 making its way through these homes? I searched the web and wasn't able to find any information. Which may mean two things:
1) Some/all were sent home to mitigate risk or,
2) These youths are not contracting COVID-19?
Adult inmates were being released due to COVID-19 back in early April, maybe the youth facilities followed suit.
In local news,
New guidelines for COVID-19 testing in Durham will mean anyone with symptoms will receive a swab, say officials from Lakeridge Health. They said that increased testing will lead to a better understanding of what hospitals can expect as they resume more services. Dr. Stone said that looking at the Durham-wide numbers, it looks like the COVID-19 reproduction number (the average number of people who contract a virus from one person with the disease) has crept up in the last few days.
Midge? WTF is a midge? from the weather network, Here's why you may be seeing tiny swarms of insects. (Midges -- also known as chironomids or lake flies -- are tiny, non-biting bugs that swarm together.)
The Ontario Fire Marshal is investigating after a house explosion in Whitby leaves one man hurt.
On Friday, there was a large grass fire in Pontypool that required the use of aerial water bombers. There were approximately 20 different fires in the blaze and two water bombers made 13 passes. 8 fire stations were involved in fighting the fires. The OPP helicopter was also used to monitor the situation from the air. City of Kawartha lakes Fire Crews spent the afternoon running from fire to fire to keep things under control.
Musings,
I went to the grocery store early this morning and waited in line for it to open. It wasn't too bad, the line had six people and I was third. Once they opened, we went right in. One thing I noticed, the line was all men. Also of note, nobody was wearing a mask (myself included). Whenever I drive by during the day, I always look at the line-up (which now always exists) and take note of the size. An interesting thing to note, is that generally it is typically women in the line after 10:30 a.m. I have no empirical data in this regard, it is merely an anecdotal observation.
Lakeridge Health Mental Health Clinic 905-440-7534 or toll free at 1-833-392-7363 (Monday-Friday 9am-4pm)
Live coronavirus map of Canada: Tracking every case of COVID-19 in the country.
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.
1hr/espanol
5k/jog
Yoga/battle ropes
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