Worldwide stats provided by worldometers put the global COVID-19 number of reported cases today at 6,185,086. (132,655 new+) (Deaths: 371,398 and Recovered: 2,754,610) 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 7:01 a.m. ET on Sunday May 31, 2020:
We broke 90,000. From Global News, Canada reported 90,179 confirmed cases of COVID-19. (772 new-)
The official Province of Ontario website is reporting 27,533 total confirmed cases (323 new-) and 2,247 total deaths. Currently, there are 801 people are in hospital with 121 in ICU. 21,353 cases have been resolved.
Quebec broke the 50,000 mark and continues to have the highest reported cases in the country with 50,651. (419 new-)
The Region of Durham reported 1,449 confirmed cases (14 new+) of COVID-19. The site also reports 9 (none new) current outbreaks at Hospitals, LTCF's and Retirement Homes with 23 outbreaks having been "concluded." Currently, Clarington remains steady at 85 cases, where we have sat for the last 4 days. In Durham Region the community spread rate of the cases currently sits at 20%, with 60% being contracted in institutional settings.
It is clear from following the numbers, that the daily increase in reported cases is steadily declining. When you consider that along with vastly increased testing, this is a very good sign. Community transmission in Ontario remains an issue that is largely affecting only Greater Toronto and its outlier communities. Reasonable, given population density. (I never said acceptable, I said reasonable, which it is in a scientific sense...so calm down.)
Today is a long one, but dang a lot happened yesterday.
In international news,
Space X successfully launched and docked today with the International Space Station. I watched the take off. To me, this will be one of the "Where were you when this happened?" moments, kind of like Lady Di's death, or 9-1-1. A remarkable achievement. The NASA website (if you are into that kind of thing) is truly awesome.
SpaceX delivered two astronauts to the International Space Station for NASA on Sunday, following up a historic liftoff with an equally smooth docking in yet another first for Elon Musk's company. With test pilots Doug Hurley and Bob Behnken poised to take over manual control if necessary, the SpaceX Dragon capsule pulled up to the station and docked automatically, no assistance needed. The docking occurred a little early, barely 19 hours after a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket blasted off Saturday afternoon from Kennedy Space Center, the nation's first astronaut launch to orbit from home soil in nearly a decade.
Sadly, yet another night of chaos and fury as protesters come out despite curfews all across America. I texted back and forth yesterday with a friend from Michigan as my heart went out to him and all Americans. His sense of dread, frustration and loss of hope were really disheartening to read.
As it unfolded last night, several cities across the US erupted in war zone-like scenes as crowds defied curfews nearly a week since the death of George Floyd, who spent his last moments pinned under an officer's knee, begging for his life. Outraged, hurt and shouting through masks worn to protect themselves from COVID-19, thousands poured onto streets in demonstrations. While some were peaceful, others ended in chaos and devastation. Here is a breakdown:
-In Washington, growing crowds outside the White House chanted, taunted Secret Service agents and at times pushed against security barriers. U.S. President Donald Trump, who spent much of Saturday in Florida for the SpaceX rocket launch, landed on the residence's lawn in the presidential helicopter at dusk and went inside without speaking to journalists.
-In Philadelphia, at least 13 officers were injured when peaceful protests turned violent and at least four police vehicles were set on fire. Other fires were set throughout downtown.
-In the Greenwood District of Tulsa, Oklahoma, the site of a 1921 massacre of black people that left as many as 300 dead and the city's thriving black district in ruins, protesters blocked intersections and chanted the name of Terence Crutcher, a black man killed by a police officer in 2016.
-In Tallahassee, Florida, a pickup truck drove through a crowd of protesters, sending some running and screaming as the vehicle stopped and started and at one point had a person on its hood, police said, but no serious injuries were reported. Police handcuffed the driver but did not release his name or say whether he would face charges.
-In Los Angeles, protesters chanted "Black Lives Matter," some within inches of the face shields of officers. Police used batons to move the crowd back and fired rubber bullets. One man used a skateboard to try to break a police SUV's windshield. A spray-painted police car burned in the street. Numerous police cars were ultimately destroyed.
-Chicago was particularly violent. Demonstrators faced off with police, set fires, and looted stores in the wake of the death of George Floyd in Minneapolis custody. The mayor imposed an 8:00 p.m. curfew, which many protester's ignored.
-And in New York City, video posted to social media showed officers using batons and shoving protesters down as they made arrests and cleared streets. Another video showed two NYPD cruisers driving into protesters who were pushing a barricade against a police car and pelting it with objects, knocking several to the ground.
Contrast that with this report from Forbes Magazine, in Some Cities, Police Officers Joined Protesters Marching Against Brutality.
-“We want to be with y’all, for real. I took my helmet off, laid the batons down. I want to make this a parade, not a protest,” Genesee County Sheriff Chris Swanson was seen telling protesters in Flint, Michigan, before he joined the assembled crowd to march, eliciting cheers.
-Officers in Camden, New Jersey, helped carry a banner reading “Standing in Solidarity,” and seemed to join in with the crowd chanting “no justice, no peace.”
-In Santa Cruz, California, Police Chief Andy Mills took a knee with protesters in the pose made famous by Colin Kaepernick, with the department tweeting it was “in memory of George Floyd & bringing attention to police violence against Black people.”
-Two Kansas City, Missouri, police officers—one white man, one black man—were photographed holding aloft a sign reading “end police brutality.”
From the "Mexico is for lovers" file, Senator Martha Lucía Mícher apologized this Friday after appearing partially nude during a virtual meeting with the leaders of the Upper House and Governor of Banco de México. “In one part of the session, without realizing it and while my computer camera was on, I changed my clothes showing my naked torso”. Mistakes happen, don't be too hard on her.
From Australia, anti-vaxxers label Covid-19 a 'scam' and break distancing rules at anti-5G protests. Up to 500 protesters voiced conspiracy theories regarding not only vaccination but also 5G telecommunication networks, fluoride and large pharmaceutical corporations.
Many conspiracy theorists believe that COVID-19 is caused by, or has linkage to new 5G networks. So, what is 5G and who are the major players? Click here. Oh, and by the way..i'll give you one guess as to who maintains the world lead position on 5G.
In national news,
There was a large protest in Toronto yesterday, which was peaceful. Thousands rally in Toronto against anti-black racism. "Justice for Regis" chants echoed throughout the streets of downtown Toronto Saturday afternoon as thousands of protesters demanded answers in the death of 29-year-old Regis Korchinski-Paquet, who fell from her apartment balcony in High Park while police were present.
Demonstrators gathered at Christie Pits Park at 2 p.m. and made their way to Toronto Police Headquarters, in the College and Bay area. The rally was initially planned to conclude at Queen's Park. It ended peacefully.
Spaced desks, one-way halls, voice technology — your post-COVID-19 office will look much different. Canadians returning to the office could see a host of changes in design, layout and office policy. Others may never see their office again.
In Ontario,
The 30-day limit on prescriptions in Ontario is expected to end by July 1. That means a return to the usual 90-day maximum allotment for prescriptions by July 1st.
The Ontario government will allow drive-in movie theatres and batting cages to open and will start allowing backcountry camping at provincial parks as it continues to loosen some of the restrictions put into place to limit the spread of COVID-19. Drive-in theatres already in existence can reopen “with restrictions” as of Sunday. Batting cages will be permitted to open on Sunday. A subsequent release also outlined plans to “gradually reintroduce” camping in provincial parks. The province say that backcountry camping, (Crown land) where participants hike or paddle through park lands and set up camp in remote areas, will be permitted as of Monday.
Ontario residents will now have to pay a fixed electricity price that is slightly higher than the off-peak hydro rate, which people in the province have been allowed to pay so far due to the pandemic. The government has introduced a new “COVID-19 recovery rate” of 12.8 cents per kilowatt hour at all times of the day. The fixed price will be in place from June 1 to Oct. 31.
Local/sportsdesk happenings,
Did you catch the Bundesliga soccer matches yesterday? (It's back) No, me either.
Connor McDavid now considers himself a Zoom expert. He was part of the NHL/NHLPA committee that worked remotely via the video conferencing platform the last number of weeks to come up with the league's return-to-play blueprint should hockey be allowed to resume its season this summer. If the NHL, which paused its schedule March 12 because of the COVID-19 pandemic, gets the green light from government and health officials, 24 teams would be left to compete for the Stanley Cup. The top-4 teams in the Eastern and Western Conferences would play separate mini-tournaments to determine seeding, while the remaining franchises would battle in best-of-five qualifying round series to complete 16-club playoff bracket.
As far as local news, I think a man bit a dog somewhere in Durham Region. Other than that, nothing.
From the "Not really local, but its my blog" file, this may interest you if you ride an ATV in Ontario. The Ontario Federation of ATV Clubs says in a statement that the Eastern Ontario Trails Alliance has ended talks for a reciprocation agreement. This is stupid and short sighted. This is what it comes down to, some ATV clubs want to maintain their own little empire and hold on to "power". This is not good for the ATV community, writ large. It's selfish. A one pass system and reciprocal agreements are long over-due. Compare this to the vastly superior system in Quebec, where a one-pass province wide system seems to work just fine.
Musing,
Sat on the couch last night and watched the violence unfold in America. The world can indeed be a very dangerous place and it is truly sad. Know what is going on in the world, educate yourself. But, don't let it consume you.
And another thing, not sure if its COVID-19 or....something else. But there sure are a lot of people that are growing different types of plants this spring. Praise be to Justin.
Did you know, the best germ disinfectant is...the sun?
To book a COVID-19 test in Durham Region, click here.
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.
World Health Organization updates/information can be found here.
45 min/run + battle ropes
1hr espanol
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