Worldwide stats provided by worldometers put the global COVID-19 number of reported cases today at 14,667,659. (Deaths: 609,548 and Recovered: 8,750,502) 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 Monday July 20, 2020:
From Global News, Canada reported 110,307 confirmed cases of COVID-19.
The official Province of Ontario website is reporting 37,604 (up 111 from Friday) total confirmed cases and 2,751 total deaths. Currently, there are 101 people are in hospital with 34 of those in ICU. 33,407 cases have been resolved.
Quebec continues to have the highest reported cases in the country with 57,446. Yesterday, Quebec reported the highest number of new COVID-19 cases since the first week of June. (166)
The Region of Durham reported 1,781 (8 new from Friday) confirmed cases of COVID-19. The site also reports 1 current outbreaks at Hospitals, LTCF's and Retirement Homes with 34 outbreaks having been "concluded." Currently, Clarington still sits at 102 total cases. (93 are resolved, 2 people are currently in isolation and 7 people have passed away. Hospitalized currently: "Zero")
In international news,
A new study has found that older children transmit the novel coronavirus to others as well as adults do, contradicting the perception that COVID-19 affects all young people less than it does the elderly. The study, released Thursday by the Korea Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, reported that children up to age 10 spread COVID-19 much less than adults do. However, children aged 10 to 19 were just as likely as adults to transmit the virus to someone else. South Korean researchers identified 5,706 people who were the first in their households to report COVID-19 symptoms between Jan. 20 and March 27, along with 59,073 individuals they had come into contact with. Researchers tested all of the household contacts of each patient, regardless of symptoms, but only tested symptomatic contacts outside the household.
"No more pencils, no more books, no more teachers dirty looks!" No, wait...Iowa Governor Overrides Schools’ Plans, Orders In-person Learning in the Fall. Iowa Gov. Kim Reynolds said Friday that schools in her state must make sure students spend at least half of their learning time in classrooms, a decision that will override some districts’ plans to rely primarily on remote learning in the fall. In a proclamation signed Friday afternoon, Reynolds ordered all Iowa schools to focus on “preparing to safely welcome back students and teachers to school in-person” for the new school year, which starts next month. “Iowa law says that in-person instruction is the presumed method of instruction for the school year,” the Republican governor said at a news conference announcing the proclamation, reported Des Moines Register. “Schools must prioritize in-person learning for core academic subjects including science, math, reading, and social studies. And the Legislature has made it clear that most schools cannot provide more than half of their instruction to any student through remote learning unless I authorize remote learning in a proclamation.”
From Puerto Vallarta, MEXICO’S GOVERNMENT ORDERS JALISCO TO RECLOSE NON-ESSENTIAL BUSINESSES, the federal government has moved the State of Jalisco into the ‘red-light’ of the National Traffic Light of COVID-19, which determines the economic activity level for each state based on coronavirus cases. This means, after evaluating hospital occupation, virus positivity, hospitalization trend, and suspected cases, the Federation determined that Jalisco is at the highest risk of the epidemic.
Trump insists he's 'right' on the virus as more Americans get sick and die. President Donald Trump just offered a telling glimpse into his priorities as the coronavirus lengthens its trail of death and sickness. Not bothering to hide his indifference and contempt for science, the President made clear on Sunday that it's more important to him to be ultimately proven right about the pandemic than to reconsider his disastrous approach that is doing little to stop its deadly spread. Until then, America must endure crammed ICUs in virus-ravaged states, thousands more deaths and the prospect of cities slumping back into economically crippling lockdowns that crush hopes of a return to work and school with normal life as only a memory. Trump's passive leadership becomes more neglectful the worse the crisis gets -- with more than 140,000 Americans now dead. "I'll be right eventually. I will be right eventually. You know I said, 'It's going to disappear.' I'll say it again," Trump said in an interview on Fox News Sunday.
I guess the Bahamas disagrees, as American tourists are now barred from entering Bahamas due to COVID-19 cases; yet other countries are still allowed. American tourists will be barred from entering the Bahamas amid the re-surging COVID-19 pandemic, Prime Minister Hubert Minnis said in a national address Sunday. The rollback comes three weeks after the Bahamas reopened its borders to travelers. The situation in the Bahamas has deteriorated "at an exponential rate since we reopened our international borders" on July 1, Minnis said. The country's Ministry of Health reported 49 new cases since borders fully opened, for a total of 153 cases. In the address, Minnis announced that the country's national airline Bahamasair will cease flights to the United States, effective immediately.
In national news,
Active coronavirus cases in Canada plummet as Quebec changes recovery criteria. Quebec announced a dramatic rise in the number of “recovered” COVID-19 cases Friday as the province introduced a new system for measuring them. A whopping 23,686 people were recorded as newly recovered in Quebec on Friday, slashing the overall number of active cases in Canada by more than 80 per cent. On Thursday, there were a reported 27,603 active cases across the country, but Friday’s announcement in Quebec brings the total number of active cases in Canada to just 4,058. The change comes after weeks of Quebec’s recovery figures lagging behind other provinces with active cases still exceeding 25,000. Daily recovery numbers ranged from as low as 49 on Monday, to as high as 156 on Thursday. There are now just 1,556 active cases in Quebec. Quebec health authorities did not initially provide an explanation of how they changed their methodology before and after the new surge. But later Friday, health officials said they had previously not listed people who were no longer in hospital as having recovered.
Yearning to travel as COVID-19 drags on? Here's what you need to know now.
Domestic travel
Many Canadians have struggled this summer to figure out where they can vacation in Canada. That's because each province and territory has created its own travel rules in response to the COVID-19 pandemic, and those rules are subject to change. At this point, Canadians can freely travel to Quebec, Ontario, Saskatchewan, Alberta and B.C. without having to self-isolate for 14 days upon arrival. Visitors to Nova Scotia, Yukon and Manitoba may be required to self-isolate, depending on which part of the country they're travelling from. The provinces with restricted entry is problematic, this flies in the face of the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms. Interestingly, very few people seem to be concerned about this.
Mobility Rights and Mobility of citizens:
6. (1) Every citizen of Canada has the right to enter, remain in and leave Canada.
(2) Every citizen of Canada and every person who has the status of a permanent resident of Canada has the right:
(a) to move to and take up residence in any province
(b) to pursue the gaining of a livelihood in any province
International travel
The federal government's advisory against all non-essential international travel during the pandemic remains in effect until further notice — even as other countries start to open their borders. "Our priority remains the health and safety of Canadians," said Global Affairs Canada spokesperson Jason Kung in an email to CBC News. Because it's an advisory — not an order — Canadians can still travel abroad, but they do so at their own risk. Global Affairs said it's not planning any repatriation flights after July. And until the advisory is lifted, international travellers likely won't be able to purchase medical insurance that covers COVID-19-related illnesses. (Gee, somebody mused on that very point last week..but; heck, what do I know?) "The mentality is, if our own country's advising us not to travel to the United States or Europe or anywhere right now, then we as insurers shouldn't be covering [COVID-19]," said Toronto-based insurance broker Martin Firestone.
Canadians must also self-isolate for 14 days upon their return home.
In Ontario,
The Ontario Medical Association asks the government not to allow indoor bars to open. The Ontario Medical Association (OMA) is calling on the government to rethink allowing indoor bars to open their doors as part of Stage 3 of the province’s COVID-19 reopening plan, citing spikes in the number of novel coronavirus cases in other jurisdictions. The OMA, who represents more than 43,000 physicians and medical students, argues that “reopening is not an all or nothing situation” and that in places like the United States, Spain and England, the reopening of indoor bars have led to outbreaks of COVID-19. “The evidence from other jurisdictions is that the reopening of bars carries significant risk,” OMA President Dr. Samantha Hill said in a news release.
Yesterday, Ontario reported more than 150 new cases of COVID-19 for second straight day. The 164 new cases reported Sunday morning are down slightly from the cases added day earlier, but represent an increase over the relatively low numbers reported daily since July 10. Sunday morning’s report brings the total number of lab-confirmed cases in the province to 37,604 – a 0.4 per cent increase over Saturday’s total when 166 new cases were recorded.
In local news,
'We are a forgotten part of the school system,' say bus drivers concerned about COVID-19. 'Still working through' plans for protecting school bus drivers, 1 GTA board says. Many school bus drivers worried about the novel coronavirus are thinking twice about getting back behind the wheel, as school boards across the province work on plans for getting kids to school if in-class instruction resumes in the fall. Many drivers are older, semi-retired or retired people, a group generally more vulnerable to contracting COVID-19, who drive for extra income to make ends meet. Some are skeptical that school boards and the province will have a workable plan to keep them safe. Lynn, who doesn't want to be identified for fear of losing shifts, is one of those veteran drivers. "There's a lot of drivers worried. We have health issues."
Face masks are mandatory on GO Transit stating Tuesday, July 21. Metrolinx announced the policy on Friday. The agency said GO Transit staff will be on board trains, buses and in stations informing customers about the need to wear a face covering. Metrolinx acknowledged there will be riders who, due to pre-existing conditions, will not be able to wear a face mask and said no customer will be “left behind.”
Good news for Durham Region, with just one new case of COVID-19 on Saturday. There was a 'slight uptick' in number of new cases in Ontario. Stage 3 for Durham Region this week? I sure hope so.
Buy local! Durham’s favourite farmers’ markets can be found here.
SUNDAY - The Clarington Farmers’ Market runs each Sunday from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. outside the Newcastle Memorial Area, 103 Caroline St. W.
THURSDAY - New this summer is the Bowmanville Reko Network where farmers’ market lovers meet food producers (no intermediaries, no resellers, no wholesaling). More than 90 per cent of the vendors here are farmers. Vendors post weekly ads, customers comment on the post to order, then both meet for pickup at Garnet B. Rickard Recreation Complex, 2440 Hwy. 2 in Bowmanville, every Thursday evening between 5:45 and 6:45 p.m.
Sports, Sports, Sports,
Blue Jays can't play their home games in Toronto after federal government rejects plan. It has been reported they were looking at Dunedin, or Buffalo, but these venues may not be able to meet their needs. Better look hard, their first game against the Rays is set for July 29th.
Musing,
Why does beer always go down better on a Sunday?
Yesterday, was National Ice Cream day. I still get excited when I hear the sound of the ice cream truck. Thanks, Pavlov.
Unless invasive, most plant species will only grow to their environment. Sometimes, I wish my mouth had the same genetic disposition.
I have never met a person that can play guitar, that I did not like.
"There is nothing so useless as doing efficiently that which should not be done at all." (PETER DRUCKER)
On this day in history, Neil Armstrong walked on the moon. At 10:56 p.m. EDT, in 1969, American astronaut Neil Armstrong, 240,000 miles from Earth, speaks these words to more than a billion people listening at home: “That’s one small step for man, one giant leap for mankind.” Stepping off the lunar landing module Eagle, Armstrong became the first human to walk on the surface of the moon. Which leads me to a thought, we have not been back in over 50 years?? How come??
Jan and Dean’s “Surf City” hits #1
“Two girls for every boy!” went the immortal opening line from Jan and Dean’s “Surf City,” the song that reached the top of the U.S. pop charts on July 20, 1963. It was a claim that wasn’t actually supported by the facts, but it helped create a popular image of California as a paradise of sun and sand and endless summers.
Remember line dancing??
Today is – NATIONAL MOON DAY – NATIONAL LOLLIPOP DAY – NATIONAL GET OUT OF THE DOGHOUSE DAY – NATIONAL PENNSYLVANIA DAY
Bank of Canada unclaimed balances portal
supportontariomade.ca
Here is how to clean your non-medical mask.
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.
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