Almost all of Ontario will enter Stage 2 today. (Sorry, not sorry Toronto) Let's hope it goes well and we don't see any spikes.
Worldwide stats provided by worldometers put the global COVID-19 number of reported cases today at 8,607,850. (Deaths: 456,943 and Recovered: 4,557,804) 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 6:00 a.m. ET on Friday June 19, 2020:
Well, Canada surpassed 100,000 cases today. From Global News, Canada reported 100,203 confirmed cases of COVID-19.
The official Province of Ontario website is reporting 32,917 total confirmed cases and 2,553 total deaths. Currently, there are 351 people are in hospital with 84 in ICU. 28,004 cases have been resolved. There are some really cool tracking charts in this article.
Quebec continues to have the highest reported cases in the country with 54,383.
The Region of Durham reported 1,650 confirmed cases of COVID-19. The site also reports 2 current outbreaks at Hospitals, LTCF's and Retirement Homes with 31 outbreaks having been "concluded." Currently, Clarington remains at 94 cases. Durham is ding really well and for the past couple of days, new cases have been only 2 or 3 per day.
In international news,
Apparently some book was released about a President? Caused a bit of chatter, i'm told.
To lock down, or not to lock down....that is the question. (with apologies to Hamlet) One study shows COVID-19's economic destruction followed a similar path either way. A group of economists studying how South Korea fought the COVID-19 outbreak without stay-at-home orders found that the country still experienced significant job losses in a pattern similar to that of countries that imposed lockdowns. The study, from economists at Seoul’s Myongji University, Queen Mary University of London and St. Louis’s Washington University, also suggests that Canada’s slowly reopening economy may not go back entirely to normal as long as the virus is still prevalent.
Switzerland avoided a coronavirus 'catastrophe' by protecting cross-border workers. Foreign citizens are very important to Switzerland's economy and particularly to its health service, especially in border cities like Geneva. In 2019, an estimated 325,000 people crossed the border into Switzerland every day to work – 177,000 from France, 76,000 from Italy and 60,000 from Germany. In mid-March Switzerland did close dozens of its small border crossings and reduced others to rush-hour opening times, but the government as well as cantonal authorities, private businesses and hospitals quickly implemented measures to ensure cross-border workers and therefor the economy and health system were protected. Switzerland did not categorise workers as essential and inessential. Instead all cross-border permits remained valid. Even seasonal workers in the agriculture industry, shut out of other European nations and sometimes unable to leave their own, faced no such restrictions in Switzerland. Farmers were allowed to drive their tractors across national borders. Cross-border workers were protected by Swiss labour law. Those who were furloughed under the Swiss government’s ‘Kurzarbeit’ scheme had their wages guaranteed, regardless of where they lived. The private sector got in on the act too, with some firms giving cross-border employees paid leave if they could not find replacement childcare in their home countries.
A pair of Canadian men who’ve been held in China for more than 18 months have been formally charged with spying for state secrets and intelligence. In a brief statement posted to social media, Chinese prosecutors say Michael Kovrig faces charges of suspicion of spying for state secrets and intelligence, while Michael Spavor is charged with suspicion of spying for a foreign entity and illegally providing state secrets.
Although they didn’t offer any details, the Chinese foreign ministry says the “facts are clear” and there is enough evidence to prosecute the Canadians. But, we quickly returned our Panda's to China as soon as they asked for them and sent 16 tonnes of OUR PPE to China back in February as soon as they asked for it. (Causing Canada to later go into shortage and crisis.)
In national news,
Canada's courts could see a surge in divorce proceedings once COVID-19 restrictions are lifted, according to family lawyers. Toronto law firm Nussbaum Family Law said it is experiencing a 20 per cent increase in inquiries from people looking to split from their spouses than before the novel coronavirus outbreak, and one of its lawyers predicts that Canada's divorce rate will soar after the health crisis. "There will definitely be an increase in divorce, and an increase in separation," senior family lawyer Barry Nussbaum said in a phone interview on Wednesday. "We're following the similar lines of Italy and China where COVID hit first, and they're already showing statistics of increasing separation."
In a good news/bad news story, The National Post reported the Canadian economy is headed for a 'significant rebound' as provinces reopen, but roadblocks remain. The Canadian economy is showing green shoots and is poised for a sharp recovery as provincial governments gradually lift COVID-19 restrictions, chief economists at Canada’s major banks said. BUT, it could be years before the economy returns to pre-pandemic levels, as some battered sectors continue to drag on overall growth, several economists told the House of Commons finance committee on Thursday.
The federal government will begin testing a “completely voluntary” mobile contact tracing app in Ontario, to eventually be used nationwide, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said on Thursday. The app will compile confirmed positive COVID-19 cases and notify Canadians when they’ve been in proximity to someone who has the virus. The government intends to make the free app available for download in early July and said that the program will be compatible with 30 million smartphones in Canada, meaning a significant portion of the population could use the app and be notified directly if they’ve come into contact with anyone who has tested positive for COVID-19 in the last 14 days.
In Ontario,
From the "Hmmm....i'm not so sure i'd install it" file, and further to the previous article, Ontario is enhancing COVID-19 case management with ‘exposure notification app’. The government says the app works on an opt-in basis in order to protect the privacy of users, and the province has consulted with the Information and Privacy Commissioner on its development. The app has been developed by the Ontario Digital Service (ODS), the federal government and a group of volunteers from Shopify. The government is also bringing Blackberry volunteers on board to ensure privacy and security are a top priority. Users will be able to voluntarily download the app and be notified anonymously if they’ve been exposed to someone who has tested positive for the virus in the last 14 days. It will also provide users with quick access to the province’s public health advice and resources on things like: getting tested, self-isolation tips and symptoms.
Starting on July 6, Humber College will be restarting some on-campus activities and begin allowing students to complete in-person requirements from the winter and summer terms. A limited number of students and apprentices will gradually be allowed to visit campus again throughout July and August. The school says the Centre for Trades and Technology, the Education and Training Solutions facility and some sections of the North Campus will reopen on July 6, with enhanced safety measures and guidelines to keep everyone safe.
The Ontario government is providing beef and hog farmers with $10-million in order to offset the costs of keeping animals ready for the market. The money will be split evenly between the two groups and is meant to provide farmers with money to keep market-ready animals fed. Called a set-aside program it allows beef farmers up to $2.00 per day to feed cattle that should be sent to processing plants. Ontario has seen a shortage in processing plant capacity due to the COVID-19 pandemic and that means farmers have to hold on to their animals longer than normal. In addition, the province is giving $1.5-million dollars to process and package surplus pork for food banks allowing pork processing plants to manage capacity.
In local happenings,
Some families say a Pickering long-term care and retirement home that’s been ravaged by COVID-19 told them Lakeridge hospitals wouldn’t accept their loved ones who had the virus. Orchard Villa, which has confirmed dozens of cases and deaths due to the coronavirus, says it routinely sent sick residents and patients to the hospital. Lakeridge Health says it would never refuse patients who need medical care and the provincial government says it has never suggested that long-term care homes avoid sending residents to the hospital. (NOTE- these are allegations by the families and they have not been proven.)
Musing,
Is it just me, or are these contact tracing apps not a tad scary???
MLB baseball has really dropped the ball (pardon the pun) on not being able to come to an agreement on a 2020 season. I don't know who is right, the union or owners but they have missed a golden opportunity to draw sports starved viewers. Remember the strike of 1994? I love baseball but I stopped watching after the strike and I didn't go back to watching until about 2016.
I went golfing with my brother and some friends after work yesterday. The banter, teasing and chatting with other groups can really make the day when you have the right group, like we did. Given the times we live in, golf is going to surge in popularity and that can already be seen. Tried to book Stonehenge, lately? Ya, good luck with that.
Speaking of Stonehenge, it is the Summer Solstice on saturday night, which is the longest day of the year. Stonehenge will be webcasting the Solstice for the first time ever, which is very cool.
Today, is National flip flop and National Martini Day.
Clarington Tourism Businesses and Attractions Directory can be found here.
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.
Hunting/fishing related updates in Ontario can be found here.
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