Worldwide stats provided by worldometers put the global COVID-19 number of reported cases today at 7,218,772 (108,985 new). (Deaths: 409,104 and Recovered: 3,554,630) 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 6:34 a.m. ET on Tuesday June 9, 2020:
From Global News, Canada reported 96,228 (544 new) confirmed cases of COVID-19.
The official Province of Ontario website is reporting 30,860 (243 new) total confirmed cases and 2,450 total deaths. Currently, there are 603 people are in hospital with 118 in ICU. 24,492 cases have been resolved. There are some really cool tracking charts in this article.
++UPDATE++ 12:58 p.m.
For the second day in a row, health officials in Ontario are recording fewer than 300 cases of the novel coronavirus, which represent the lowest numbers of new infections in more than ten weeks. Health officials confirmed an additional 230 cases on Tuesday, as well as 14 more deaths. Just yesterday, the province recorded 243 cases. I can't help but say, it tickles me a tad when my numbers match the "official" numbers.
Quebec continues to have the highest reported cases in the country with 53,047 (198 new).
The Region of Durham reported 1,585 (9 new) confirmed cases of COVID-19. The site also reports 9 (one new) current outbreaks at Hospitals, LTCF's and Retirement Homes with 24 outbreaks having been "concluded." Currently, Clarington is at 95 cases (1 new). 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 U.S. manufacturing exodus from China is beginning. Companies/manufacturing are now seeking suppliers in Vietnam, Burma, the Philippines, and Bangladesh, as per supplier inspection data. The COVID-19 pandemic has put global supply risks into the limelight. Recent data compiled by a Hong Kong-based supply chain inspection company shows that U.S. firms have already started moving their sourcing away from China. A manufacturing exodus was already underway due to the uncertainties created by the U.S.–China trade war in 2019. The CCP (Chinese Communist Party) virus, also known as the novel coronavirus, has accelerated that trend and encouraged more companies to reduce their excessive dependence on China as a single supplier.
The World Health Organization (if you believe them) reported the highest number of global COVID-19 cases in a single day, yesterday. There is good reason to doubt the veracity of any statement emanating from the W.H.O.
In national news,
This story warms the cockles of my heart.
From the "CRA is coming for you" file, the federal government is looking to put into law new punishments, including jail time and fines, for Canadians who are found to be defrauding the Canada Emergency Response Benefit (CERB) program, according to a copy of a draft piece of legislation that has not been tabled in the House of Commons. The government wants to impose tough new enforcement mechanisms ranging from fines to six months of jail time if someone has made a “false or misleading” benefit claim, knowingly failed to declare income for the period which they applied for the benefit, received a benefit cheque they were “knowingly” not eligible for, or aided someone in committing one of the aforementioned offences.
Under the proposed legislation, the amount of the fine could be up to three times the amount that was received or would have been received in CERB money due to the fraud. The government also wants it written in law that workers would not be eligible for the income support if they:
-Fail to return to work when it is reasonable to do so and their employer asks them to;
-Fail to resume self-employment when it is reasonable to do so; or
-Declines a reasonable job offer when they are able to work.
These proposed changes come as the government is mulling how to evolve the program as the economy reopens and many businesses are able to bring their staff back into work. The initial hope was that once the 75 per cent wage subsidy program got off the ground, a large number of laid-off workers would be brought back on the job with the help of the subsidy, but so far take-up has been far below what was initially projected by Finance Canada. (Because there are too many people on CERB that are living the netflix dream and do not want to go back to work.)
In Ontario,
In the inimitable words of Frank Costanza, "We're back, baby!" Premier Doug Ford made the announcement yesterday that some of Ontario is moving into Stage 2 of its reopening. But, not everywhere. The Golden Horseshoe will remain in Stage 1. So, Haldimand, Halton, Peel, Durham, Toronto and York and a few other border regions remain in Stage 1. Look below for the entire list of which regions are moving to Stage 2.
Regardless of where you live the province is relaxing the maximum number of people allowed at a social gathering from five to ten people with proper physical distancing measures in place and all places of worship can open with physical distancing in place and attendance limited to no more than 30-percent of building capacity. This will go into effect Friday, June 12th at 12:01 a.m.
Public health areas allowed to move into Stage 2 on Friday, June 12th at 12:01 a.m. of the reopening process include:
-Algoma Public Health
-Brant County Health Unit
-Chatham-Kent Public Health
-Eastern Ontario Health Unit
-Grey Bruce Health Unit
-Haliburton, Kawartha, Pine Ridge District Health Unit
-Hastings Prince Edward Public Health
-Huron Perth Public Health
-Kingston, Frontenac, and Lennox & Addington Public Health
-Leeds Grenville & Lanark District Health Unit
-Middlesex-London Health Unit
-North Bay Parry Sound District Health Unit
-Northwestern Health Unit
-Ottawa Public Health
-Peterborough Public Health
-Porcupine Health Unit
-Public Health Sudbury & Districts
-Region of Waterloo Public Health and Emergency Services
-Renfrew County and District Health Unit
-Simcoe-Muskoka District Health Unit
-Southwestern Public Health
-Thunder Bay District Health Unit
-Timiskaming Health Unit 2
-Wellington-Dufferin-Guelph Public Health
Business and services allowed to reopen include:
> Outdoor dine-in services at restaurants, bars, and other establishments, including patios, curbside, parking lots and adjacent properties;
> Select personal and personal care services with the proper health and safety measures in place, including tattoo parlours, barbershops, hair salons, and beauty salons;
> Shopping malls under existing restrictions, including food services reopening for take-out and outdoor dining only;
> Tour and guide services, such as bike and walking, bus and boat tours, as well as tasting and tours for wineries, breweries, and distilleries;
> Water recreational facilities such as outdoor splash pads and wading pools, and all swimming pools;
> Beach access and additional camping at Ontario Parks;
> Camping at private campgrounds;
> Outdoor-only recreational facilities and training for outdoor team sports, with limits to enable physical distancing;
> Drive-in and drive-through venues for theatres, concerts, animal attractions and cultural appreciation, such as art installations;
> Film and television production activities, with limits to enable physical distancing;
> Weddings and funerals, with limits on social gatherings to 10 people.
The province says it will provide an update at the beginning of each week on the ongoing assessment of the excluded regions and whether they are ready to move into Stage 2 at the end of each week.
For everyone in Toronto that is complaining; I have two points to make:
1) Trinity Bellwoods Park (10,000+ people)
2) A full 65% of Ontario's cases today come from....Toronto (As reported by Global news, today)
Now, an argumentative sort could say "But there was no breakout from Trinity Bellwoods?" True. BUT, it is demonstrative of the reckless behaviour that is characteristic of.....Toronto.
In local happenings,
A heat wave is hitting Southern Ontario this week. Environment Canada says a hot airmass approaching the area will bring daytime temperatures in the low thirties over the next couple of days. They add that with increasing humidity on Wednesday, humidex values are expected to creep in the mid to high thirties. Temperatures will cool off Wednesday night as Tropical Depression Cristobal approaches Ontario.
The COVID-19 outbreak at Glen Hill Strathaven has been declared over. In early May, a 90-year-old man was the first resident of a Clarington long-term-care home to test positive for COVID-19 as a result of universal testing. In two followup tests, the man tested negative for COVID-19. To be exceptionally careful, Glen Hill Strathaven implemented full pandemic protocols for two weeks, on the advice of Durham Public Health. No one else in the long-term-care home was infected. “Strathaven has been fabulous. They have given us constant updates. I’ve had phone calls from the pastor to see how we as a family are feeling,” said Robin Lacey, whose father, Bill Bartlett, lives on the same floor as the resident who tested positive for COVID-19.
“The administrator, Michelle Stroud, has been amazing. She closed the home prior to the government’s mandate, she has been very proactive since Day 1. I'm very impressed with her management of the home and how she is keeping everyone safe, staff included. She keeps us up to date with any information she obtains, both by phone and email.” said Donna Metcalf-Woo, whose father Harvey Metcalf lives in Strathaven, via email.
Sometimes, we read the story and skim the names, but we forget they are people. Michelle has worked approximately 90 straight days, as have many of the staff at the LTCF. How many of you have worked 90 straight days? We read the horror stories from LTCF's in Ontario, but let us not forget the good news stories. The LTCF's (like Glen Hill Strathaven) that care, work hard and do the right thing. Not because they are supposed to, but because it's the right thing to do.
One final thought. Michelle and her staff didn't just "do a good job". They saved lives. Think about that.
Musing,
Looney Tunes is back! HBO max will be streaming the classic episodes. BUT, they will be censored and any episode with guns will be removed. (Didn't all the episodes have guns in them?)
June is the sixth month of the year in the Gregorian calendar. It is believed that the month is named after the Roman goddess Juno, who is the wife of Jupiter and is also equivalent to the Greek goddess Hera. Well, Juno is an unpredictable, cranky sort in my observation. June has sucked for the last (feels like) 20 million years. Today and tomorrow? Heatwave. Saturday/Sunday are barely going to hit the mid teens.
C'mon Goddess Juno, throw us mortals a bone.
CERB abuse reporting https://apps.cra-arc.gc.ca/ebci/bscs/l3adz/internet/initial.do?target=login&lang=en&program=qa">can be done here.
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.
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