Lygenztia *571 (cucumbers and "buck naked" travelers? well, it is National Love People Day, after all......) Wednesday September 30, 2020

Worldwide stats provided by worldometers put the global COVID-19 number of reported cases today at 33,875,993. (Deaths: 1,013,199 and Recovered: 25,172,971)
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 Wednesday September 30, 2020:
Health Canada reported 156,961 confirmed cases of COVID-19, to date. 13,933 cases are active, there have been 9,291 deaths and 133,737 people have recovered.

The official Province of Ontario website is reporting 51,085 total confirmed cases and 2,844 total deaths. Currently, there are 137 people are in hospital with 30 of those in ICU. 43,450 cases have been resolved. (Hospitalizations in Ontario are steadily rising.)

Quebec continues to have the highest reported cases in the country with 73,450. (5,522 are active) Quebec case numbers continue to rise at an alarming rate.

The Region of Durham reported 2,157 confirmed cases of COVID-19. The site reports 0 current outbreaks (Hospitals, LTCF's and Retirement Homes) with 40 outbreaks having been "concluded." Clarington rose to 134 cases. (14 are in isolation, 113 are resolved and 7 people have passed away. Hospitalized currently: "0")
School and Child Care Center outbreaks are currently at "2." (A public school and a day care centre.)

In international news,
COVID house party of wild debauchery lands on Pornhub. Party-goers in California got their freak on to a level of mayhem that landed footage of the debauchery on Pornhub. The Labour Day weekend of bedlam began when promoter Donny2Real threw an epic party that soon escalated to XXX standards, clearly befitting its “Califreaknik” billing, TMZ reports. Women who arrived topless weren’t asked to fork over the admission fee, while the less spirited and adventurous were charged anywhere from $50 to $100. As hundreds convened at the massive Rialto, Calif. gathering fuelled by alcohol, wads of money could be seen cascading down on the scantily-clad dancers. With cameras rolling, women began to strip. At some point, a large cucumber entered the melee, with women using it to perform sex acts in front of the crowd.

UK PM Johnson to speak on COVID-19 as anger mounts towards curbs. British Prime Minister Boris Johnson will hold a news conference on COVID-19 on Wednesday as he grapples with a swiftly spreading second wave of the novel coronavirus outbreak and growing anger in his own party over restrictions imposed on citizens. Britain, which has the worst official death toll in Europe, reported 7,143 new cases of coronavirus on Tuesday, the highest single figure to date, and 71 deaths, the worst daily toll since July. Johnson, who has had to apologise after muddling local lockdown rules, is facing growing anger within his own Conservative Party over the most severe restrictions in peacetime history that are destroying swathes of the economy. “The price we will not pay is that we will not surrender parliamentary democracy and the rule of law in order to fight this virus - these things are too important,” said Steve Baker, one prominent rebel lawmaker in the party.

From Austria, prosecutors said on Wednesday they have placed four people under investigation in connection with a quarantine and other restrictions imposed at the ski resort of Ischgl in March because of a massive coronavirus outbreak. Thousands were infected at the resort that called itself the “Ibiza of the Alps”, many of them foreign tourists who brought the virus home before the first case was detected there on March 7. Austria’s public health agency believes the virus arrived there a month earlier, spreading in crowded bars. Prosecutors in the provincial capital Innsbruck have been investigating whether anyone in Ischgl endangered others by, for example, failing to report a case before March 7. Instead, Wednesday’s announcement appears to be in relation to the quarantine and other measures taken on March 13.

In national news,
The House of Commons has unanimously passed legislation authorizing new benefits for workers left jobless or underemployed by the COVID-19 pandemic. In the process, the minority Liberal government has survived its first pandemic-era confidence test, assuring at least for now that there will be no election as COVID-19 cases spike dangerously across the country. Bill C-4 passed in the House of Commons in the wee hours of the morning Wednesday, after a day of political manoeuvering and just four-and-a-half hours of debate on the actual contents of the legislation.

Why some snowbirds are still heading south this winter despite COVID-19 and a closed land border. Snowbirds flying to the U.S. say they plan to take precautions and stick to their communities. Despite the U.S. having the world's highest number of COVID-19 cases, Canadian snowbird Elizabeth Evans is determined to head south next month. That's because her only winter home is parked at an RV resort in Williston, Florida. "I don't have a [winter] home here," said Evans, who's currently living in her summer trailer at a campground in Niagara Falls. "I don't have any winter clothes." Evans is one of a number of snowbirds set on going to the U.S. this winter, despite the ongoing pandemic. But getting there may not be easy: To help stop the spread of COVID-19, the Canada-U.S. land border remains closed to non-essential traffic until at least Oct. 21. Evans believes the closure will be extended, so she plans to fly to Florida on Oct. 30 — two days before the campground where she's living closes for the season. "There's no way I am staying here," she said. "Even if I had to get on the plane buck-naked, I'd be on it."

In Ontario,
From the "Nobody asked me" file, Ontarians support another lockdown — government poll. If Ontario does endure another lockdown, the sad truth is it very much might be welcomed by the public, according to government polling obtained by theToronto Sun. An Ipsos poll of 1,000 Ontario adults conducted last week for the Ministry of Heritage, Sport, Tourism and Culture shows overwhelming support for taking Ontario back to Stage 2 of the pandemic lockdown.

Visitors will be restricted at long-term care homes in some regions starting next week. Here is who will still be allowed to go. The Ford government is restricting visitors at long-term care homes in regions with higher levels of COVID-19 infections but will still allow residents in those facilities to designate two “essential caregivers” who will be exempt from the new policy. Premier Doug Ford made the announcement at Queen’s Park on Tuesday afternoon as he detailed his government’s $540 million plan to protect long-term care homes during the second wave of the COVID-19 pandemic. He said that as of Monday, visits at long-term care homes in some hard-hit regions of the province will be limited to “staff, essential visitors and essential caregivers only.” Ford did not confirm precisely which regions will fall under the new more restrictive visitor policy but did say that it will include the Greater Toronto and Ottawa areas. He said that decision to restrict visitors at some facilities was not one he took lightly but was ultimately something that had to be done given the recent rise in COVID-19 infections and the deadly spread of the virus through long-term care homes during the first wave of the pandemic. “I know first-hand how hard it can be. But it is absolutely necessary,” he said in a reference to his mother-in-law, who resides in a Toronto long-term care home and was effected by earlier restrictions on visitors. “We can’t let COVID-19 get into these homes.”
(++Check out Dr. Michael Warren's reaction to yesterday's press conference here. WOW!++)

Majority of people being tested for COVID-19 in Toronto now waiting more than two days for results. Most Toronto residents who are tested for COVID-19 are now waiting more than two days for the results, prompting Toronto Public Health to move one of the key indicators on its monitoring dashboard into the red for the first time in months. Toronto Public Health tells CP24 that 77 per cent of residents were receiving test results within 48 hours as recently as Sept. 21 but that number has since dropped to 44 per cent amid reports of massive lines at assessment centres and an increasing processing backlog in the province’s labs. As a result, Toronto Public Health has downgraded its laboratory testing indicator from yellow to red, suggesting that the area is “in need of attention.” It is the first time since the spring that one of the four key indicators tracked by Toronto Public Health have been in the red. In fact, as recently as August all four indicators – lab capacity, virus spread and containment, health system capacity and public health system capacity – were in the green.

A sad sign of the times we are living in, Maynooth’s Brighten the Night Christmas parade cancelled. While the annual nighttime parade in Maynooth is still months away, organizers have made the decision to cancel this year’s edition of the Brighten the Night parade. “The organizers realized that with all of the COVID-19 restrictions and also the inaccessibility of municipality building for indoors activities were not able to responsibly host the event,” Joey Shulman tells the MyBancroftNow.com newsroom. He has a hand in helping organize the event and explains that it usually starts months ahead of time. The pandemic has thrown a wrench in their plans and made responsibly planning for the parade impossible. “Our ability to be responsible hosts has been tested this year,” he says. The float building will also be difficult, Shulman explains. The length of the process varies for the different people with floats in the parade, but all the building involves people coming in close contact with each other. Shulman isn’t sure if something else will be done on December 12th – the day the parade was scheduled to be held – but says it’s unlikely another Christmas event will be done. The facilities that would normally be used like the Maynooth Community Centre and The Arlington is likely to be unavailable on parade day. The Santa visit is also difficult to pull off due to the sheer amount of people that will show up to the Hastings Highlands Public Library for it.

“We’ll miss it this year,” Shulman says. “It was a highlight of the year.”

In local news,
The Durham Health Department confirmed 24 new cases of COVID-19 on Tuesday (yesterday). Active cases in the region rose from 101 on Monday to 117. Three people are in the ICU; the rest (114) are isolating at home. To date, there have been 2,157 cases confirmed in the region. Of those, 1,859 are considered resolved.
Here is the regional breakdown as of Tuesday:
Pickering — 20 active cases (four new), 678 total
Ajax — 36 active cases (seven new), 603 total
Whitby — 26 active cases (four new), 266 total
Oshawa — 14 active cases (two new), 326 total
Clarington — 14 active cases (seven new), 134 total
Uxbridge — one active case, 111 total
Scugog — three active cases, (one new), 25 total
Brock — three active cases , 14 total

Another case of COVID-19 confirmed at a Durham school. (Ajax currently has the highest number of active cases) As of Tuesday, one new case of COVID-19 has been confirmed at a school in Durham. Cadarackque P.S. in Ajax has one case and one class is in self-isolation for 14 days.

Musing,
"“Can anything be so elegant as to have few wants, and to serve them one's self?” ." (RALPH WALDO EMERSON)

Who (and what) the Hell is BTS?

My neighbours (who are wonderful people) have started turning on their Christmas lights. Oh well, vive la différence.

Have you ever....returned something you bought to wear only once?

Did you know.....one quarter of all your bones are in your feet?

On this day in history, in 1962, Riots over desegregation of Ole Miss University
In Oxford, Mississippi, James H. Meredith, an African American student, is escorted onto the University of Mississippi campus by U.S. Marshals, setting off a deadly riot. Two men were killed before the racial violence was quelled by more than 3,000 federal soldiers. The next day, Meredith successfully enrolled and began to attend classes amid continuing disruption.

In 1954, the USS Nautilus, the world’s first nuclear submarine, is commissioned by the U.S. Navy. The Nautilus was constructed under the direction of U.S. Navy Captain Hyman G. Rickover, a brilliant Russian-born engineer who joined the U.S. atomic program in 1946. In 1947, he was put in charge of the navy’s nuclear-propulsion program and began work on an atomic submarine. Regarded as a fanatic by his detractors, Rickover succeeded in developing and delivering the world’s first nuclear submarine years ahead of schedule. In 1952, the Nautilus‘ keel was laid by President Harry S. Truman, and on January 21, 1954, first lady Mamie Eisenhower broke a bottle of champagne across its bow.

Today is - NATIONAL LOVE PEOPLE DAY – NATIONAL CHEWING GUM DAY – NATIONAL WOMEN’S HEALTH AND FITNESS DAY – NATIONAL MUD PACK DAY – NATIONAL HOT MULLED CIDER DAY



The Bank of Canada unclaimed balances portal can be found here.
supportontariomade.ca
Here is how to clean your non-medical mask.
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.

Lygenztia *570 (700 in Ontario yesterday, what will today bring?...............) Tuesday September 29, 2020

Worldwide stats provided by worldometers put the global COVID-19 number of reported cases today at 33,581,042. (Deaths: 1,006,985 and Recovered: 24,899,699) 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 Tuesday September 29, 2020:
Health Canada reported 155,301 confirmed cases of COVID-19, to date. 13,416 cases are active, there have been 9,278 deaths and 132,607 people have recovered.

The official Province of Ontario website is reporting 50,531 total confirmed cases and 2,840 total deaths. Currently, there are 128 people are in hospital with 29 of those in ICU. 43,127 cases have been resolved. (Hospitalizations in Ontario are steadily rising.)

Quebec continues to have the highest reported cases in the country with 72,651. (5,196 are active) Quebec case numbers are rising at an alarming rate. (more on that below)

The Region of Durham reported 2,121 confirmed cases of COVID-19. The site reports 0 current outbreaks (Hospitals, LTCF's and Retirement Homes) with 40 outbreaks having been "concluded." Clarington rose to 127 cases. (7 are in isolation, 113 are resolved and 7 people have passed away. Hospitalized currently: "0")
School and Child Care Center outbreaks are currently at "2."

In international news,
Global coronavirus pandemic passes 'agonizing milestone' of a million deaths. The global coronavirus death toll rose past a million on Tuesday, according to a Reuters tally, a grim statistic in a pandemic that has devastated the global economy, overloaded health systems and changed the way people live. The number of deaths from the novel coronavirus this year is now double the number of people who die annually from malaria - and the death rate has increased in recent weeks as infections surge in several countries. “Our world has reached an agonizing milestone,” U.N. Secretary-General Antonio Guterres said in a statement. “It’s a mind-numbing figure. Yet we must never lose sight of each and every individual life. They were fathers and mothers, wives and husbands, brothers and sisters, friends and colleagues.” It took just three months for COVID-19 deaths to double from half a million, an accelerating rate of fatalities since the first death was recorded in China in early January.

From England, Covid-19: North East households mixing ban 'confusing'. The government has been accused of creating "doubt and uncertainty" with its announcement of tighter lockdown restrictions in north-east England. People who break a new law, which comes into force on Wednesday amid a spike in Covid-19 cases, will be fined. Mixing between households in indoor settings, such as pubs and restaurants, will be illegal. A council leader said a lack of detail about the restrictions had led to people spreading half truths and myths. Education minister Gillian Keegan said the new measures would "be laid out and it will be clear to people in those areas". "I'm not disputing that they need to act quickly but one of the things that undermines this is the principle of community consent," Newcastle City Council leader Nick Forbes said. "The sense that we're all collectively buying into these measures because we can see that they protect us all - is if there's a gap between what's announced in headlines and the details that people can understand. "What that does is sow confusion, it creates doubt, it creates uncertainty." (The rate of Covid infections in this region is now more than 100 cases per 100,000.)

From Reuters, Puzzled scientists seek reasons behind Africa's low fatality rates from pandemic. Africa’s overburdened public health systems, dearth of testing facilities and overcrowded slums had experts predicting a disaster when COVID-19 hit the continent in February. The new coronavirus was already wreaking havoc in wealthy Asian and European nations, and a United Nations agency said in April that, even with social-distancing measures, the virus could kill 300,000 Africans this year. In May the World Health Organization (WHO) warned that 190,000 people on the continent could die if containment measures failed. Yet as the world marks 1 million COVID-19 deaths, Africa is doing much better than expected, with a lower percentage of deaths than other continents. The continent’s case fatality count stands at 2.4%, with roughly 35,000 deaths among the more than 1.4 million people reported infected with COVID-19, according to Reuters data as at late Monday. In North America, it is 2.9% and in Europe 4.5%. Hard-hit countries such as Italy and Britain have recorded fatality counts of 11.6% and 9.0% respectively, compared to 1.6% for Ethiopia, 1.9% for Nigeria and 2.4% for South Africa, the continent’s worst affected country. Hospitals in many African countries say COVID-19 admission rates are falling.

In national news,
How Quebec went from COVID-19 success story to hot spot in 30 days. Quebec had the virus under control, now its biggest cities are under new lockdown measures. On Monday, the government implicitly acknowledged it has again lost control of the virus. The province is reimposing lockdown measures on Quebec's two biggest cities, starting Oct. 1. Quebec tightening COVID-19 restrictions as 3 regions put on red alert. Until Oct. 28, Quebecers won't be able to entertain friends or families at home. Bars, restaurant dining rooms, theatres and cinemas will also be closed. "The situation has become critical" Premier François Legault said Monday evening. "If we don't want our hospitals to be submerged, if we want to limit the number of deaths, we must take strong action." The new measures will bring abrupt changes to the lives of millions of Quebecers. They will also prompt questions about how the public health situation could have deteriorated so quickly. This story tries to trace how Quebec again lost control of the spread of COVID-19.

From the "Well, yeah" file, Vast majority of Canadians pleased to be working from home: poll. he federal government's economic recovery plan has inspired some confidence that it will create jobs and a stronger economy in future, a new poll suggests. But, in the meantime, the vast majority of Canadians who've been working from home aren't eager to rush back to their work places as cases of COVID-19 surge across the country. Fifty-two per cent of respondents to the survey, conducted by Leger and the Association for Canadian studies, said they are very (nine per cent) or somewhat (43 per cent) confident that the recovery plan, outlined in last week's throne speech, will create jobs and strengthen the economy in future. (I know I sure miss commuting into the city. NOT)

In Ontario,
New COVID-19 cases in Ontario reach highest mark ever, yesterday. (700)
Ontario has reached a grim milestone as the province reports the highest daily COVID-19 case count since the beginning of the pandemic. Health officials reported 700 new infections on Monday, breaking the previous high of 624 cases on April 24. One COVID-19-related death was recorded in the last 24-hour period and 331 cases of the disease are now considered to be resolved by the province.

Ontario’s hospitals are calling on the government to reinstate restrictions in certain areas of the province, including Toronto, all regions of the GTA and Ottawa. The Ontario Hospital Association (OHA) says the Ford government must move those regions back to Stage 2, which saw restrictions on non-essential businesses like restaurants, gyms and movie theatres. The call comes after a move last week to close all strip clubs and require bars and restaurants to shut down earlier. The OHA says hospital occupancy levels are rising quickly with a great deal of the stand-by capacity created at the onset of the pandemic last spring has already been filled. They say right now, the acute care occupancy rate is 89 per cent with several hospitals hovering around the 100 per cent level. The association says they understand a return to Stage 2 comes at a serious cost to thousands of businesses and their employees.

The Ontario government is investing $52.5 million to recruit, retain and support over 3,700 more frontline health care workers and caregivers to ensure the health care system can meet any surge in demand with the second wave of COVID-19. The investment is part of the province’s COVID-19 fall preparedness plan, Keeping Ontarians Safe: Preparing for Future Waves of COVID-19. Details were provided Monday by Premier Doug Ford and Christine Elliott, Deputy Premier and Minister of Health. “It’s the thousands of nurses, personal support workers, and other frontline workers who have made the difference in the fight against COVID-19,” said Premier Ford. “Today’s significant investment will allow us to recruit, retain, and quickly deploy a militia of health care heroes, caregivers, and volunteer professionals to care for our seniors and most vulnerable and ensure our health care system is prepared to deal with any outbreaks or surges in cases.” (Well, ok. BUT, almost 100 nurses just got laid off at Southlake Hospital last week? Layoff of nurses at Southlake, use of private clinics draw ire of health-care advocates Toronto-area MPP takes aim at Newmarket-Aurora MPP, Ford government over charges of "back door" privatization of health care, nearly 100 nurses cut at Southlake.)

Nearly 200 charges, citations after Wasaga Beach free-for-all. After this weekend’s unsanctioned automotive free-for-all that took over Wasaga Beach, the OPP issued nearly 200 charges from careless driving to non-compliance with provincial pandemic rules. Police handed out 172 tickets during the melee for careless driving, stunt driving and speeding under the Highway Traffic Act, as well as equipment-related charges for muffler, lighting and tire infractions. No charges were laid after thousands turned up at an unsanctioned “Mega Meet” in an Ancaster cinema parking lot last week. Many attending either event, which far exceeded rules limiting attendance at outdoor gatherings, made no effort to social distance or wear face masks. While videos of burnouts and dangerous driving garnered condemnation, local car clubs have become an undeserved target of public scorn.

In local news,
The Corral in Oshawa is closing because of the COVID-19 pandemic. They released the following statement on Facebook Monday: "It is with great sadness that we have to announce the closing of The Corral due to COVID-19. After an amazing 37 year run, the pandemic as well as exorbitant insurance costs have forced us to make this difficult decision. The Corral has been as much of a home as a bar to many. People have met and married here. Artists have started their career here. We’ve been blessed to have performers such as Terri Clark, Johnny Reid, Emerson Drive, James Barker Band, Shane Yellowbird"

As of 12:01 p.m. Monday, masks/face coverings are mandatory in common areas of apartment buildings and condominiums in Durham Region. They are also now mandatory within all enclosed public spaces in Durham, with a few exceptions. The orders were issued by the Durham Region Medical Officer of Health in order to help stop the spread of COVID-19. For all the details click here.

Musing,
"The least of things with a meaning is worth more in life than the greatest of things without it.." (CARL JUNG)

I just can't see the schools staying open much longer.......I hope i'm wrong.

It is no wonder conspiracy theorists currently abound with their COVID-19 "theories". Given the lack of communication, disagreement and obsfucation by our leaders, who really knows what the Hell is going on?

Have you ever....eaten fresh vegetables right out of the garden?

Did you know...the Nintendo company started by making playing cards and games of chance in 1899? (the name means "luck from Heaven")

On this day in history, in 2008 the Dow suffers largest single-day drop.
After Congress failed to pass a $700 billion bank bailout plan, the Dow Jones Industrial Average falls 777.68 points—at the time, the largest single-day point loss in its history.

In 1982, Cyanide-laced Tylenol kills six.
Flight attendant Paula Prince buys a bottle of cyanide-laced Tylenol. Prince was found dead on October 1, becoming the final victim of a mysterious ailment in Chicago, Illinois. Over the previous 24 hours, six other people had suddenly died of unknown causes in northwest Chicago. After Prince’s death, Richard Keyworth and Philip Cappitelli, firefighters in the Windy City, realized that all seven victims had ingested Extra-Strength Tylenol prior to becoming ill. Further investigation revealed that several bottles of the Tylenol capsules had been poisoned with cyanide. (The culprit was never caught.)


Today is - NATIONAL COFFEE DAY – NATIONAL VFW DAY



The Bank of Canada unclaimed balances portal can be found here.
supportontariomade.ca
Here is how to clean your non-medical mask.


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.

Lygenztia *569 (National Drink Beer Day, you say?.........) Monday September 28, 2020

Worldwide stats provided by worldometers put the global COVID-19 number of reported cases today at 33,342,054. (Deaths: 1,002,970 and Recovered: 24,654,686) 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 September 28, 2020:
Health Canada reported 153,125 confirmed cases of COVID-19, to date. 12,759 cases are active, there have been 9,268 deaths and 131,098 people have recovered.

The official Province of Ontario website is reporting 49,831 total confirmed cases and 2,839 total deaths. Currently, there are 112 people are in hospital with 28 of those in ICU. 42,796 cases have been resolved.

++UPDATE++ (11:43 a.m.) New COVID-19 cases in Ontario reach highest mark ever. Health officials reported 700 new infections on Monday, breaking the previous high of 624 cases on April 24. (But, for perspective, testing is at an all time high and some Health Departments "save" their saturday/sunday numbers and report them on the monday count.)

Quebec continues to have the highest reported cases in the country with 71,901. (4,947 are active) Quebec case numbers conitnue to rise at an alarming rate.

The Region of Durham reported 2,121 confirmed cases of COVID-19. The site reports 0 current outbreaks (Hospitals, LTCF's and Retirement Homes) with 40 outbreaks having been "concluded." Clarington rose to 125 cases. (5 are in isolation, 113 are resolved and 7 people have passed away. Hospitalized currently: "1")
School and Child Care Center outbreaks are currently at "2."

In international news,
Virus sows dread in India's festival season as infections cross six million. India reported on Monday that novel coronavirus infections had topped 6 million, nowhere near the number required for herd immunity in country of 1.3 billion people, and raising anxiety going into the peak period for Hindu religious festivals. India added a million cases in just 11 days, according to a Reuters tally of government data, and it has the second-highest number of infections, behind the United States which crossed 7 million last week. India’s festival season, which climaxes in October and November with the popular Hindu celebrations of Dussehra and Diwali, poses additional challenges, as officials try to dampen the usual large public celebrations and cross-country travel. Typically the festival season brings a big increase in consumer spending, and the more sombre atmosphere this year will further dampen an economy that contracted by almost a quarter in the three months to June - the worst figure on record.

In national news,
Handwashing, distancing and mask-wearing all drastically cut risk of catching COVID-19: research. Wash your hands. Practise physical distancing whenever you can. Wear a mask the rest of the time. These have been the three main tenets of public health advice aimed at stopping the spread of the coronavirus for months now, dating back to when Canada was still facing its first wave of infections. With the second wave upon us, and Canada's number of active COVID-19 cases doubling in less than a month, they've once again been trotted out as the best advice there is for day-to-day safety.

'Parent shopping': Teens of divorced parents looking to switch households ahead of possible second lockdown. A Canadian law firm says it has seen an increase in teenagers of divorced parents looking to switch households ahead of a possible second lockdown. Alyssa Bach, an associate lawyer at Shulman & Partners LLP, told CTV News Channel the law firm has seen an "increase in the volume of calls" from parents asking what to do when they have a child who is looking to change their residential arrangements. "Asking about moving to the other parents home and finding out if that request can be accommodated, and what are the other implications and so that's really what we're dealing with right now," Bach explained in an interview on Sunday.

In Ontario,
A trio of restaurants in the downtown King West neighbourhood have been ordered closed by Toronto Public Health (TPH). The establishments in question are:
MARBL (455 King Street West)
King Taps (100 King Street West)
Casa Mezcal (291 King Street West)
TPH say they haven’t taken “the necessary steps” to protect their employees and customers from COVID-19. They say they found “a concerning link” between the restaurants. Multiple people who’ve tested positive for COVID-19 had each been working at more than one of these locations. One restaurant was reportedly a buffet, which is prohibited under current guidelines.

(And again)....Toronto Public Health is warning that two more restaurants have been linked to recent COVID-19 cases. They say five employees and two patrons have tested positive at the Yonge Street Warehouse, at 336 Yonge Street. If you were there between September 10 and 17, they suggest watching yourself for symptoms until two weeks after your visit. If you haven’t already been contacted, TPH considers you to be low-risk. As well, they say three employees have tested positive at the Regulars Bar, at 668 King Street West. A similar warning goes out if you were there between September 13 and 22.

(No doubt COVID will increase the numbers even more this year.) Algonquin Park expecting heavy volume as leaves begin to change. Algonquin Park is a popular spot for travellers and locals alike to watch as the leaves change colours. Long wait times are the norm this time of year at the Park, but officials say you may be waiting even longer this season. “We have implemented measures to address overcrowding and promote physical distancing in our park spaces and buildings during busy visitation times by limiting occupancy for day-use and camping in select provincial parks,” stated on Ontario Parks’ website. ” This includes limiting the number of daily vehicle permits sold or the number of campsites available for reservations. You may notice that day use parking areas will not be as full or some campsites will remain empty during your stay.” Agonquin Park keeps its Twitter feed updated with the latest on what’s happening at the Park. “If you arrive at either the East or West Gate and we have reached capacity, you will not be able to purchase a permit (or use your seasonal pass), and you will not be able to visit the park,” park officials say. The vistor centre will also be available to a limited amount of people. On Algonquin Park’s website, they suggest visiting during the week rather than the weekend. “Fall weekends get extremely busy, especially at the West Gate,” they say.

In local news,
The number of active COVID-19 cases in Durham rose to 102 on Sunday. The latest update adds 17 new cases and six more resolutions. Two people are in the ICU; the rest are isolating at home. To date, there have been 2,121 cases confirmed in the region. Of those, 1,838 are considered resolved.
Here is the regional breakdown as of Sunday:
Pickering — 21 active cases (five new), 673 total
Ajax — 33 active cases (three new), 591 total
Whitby — 22 active cases (four new), 260 total
Oshawa — 15 active cases (one new), 323 total
Clarington — five active cases (two new), 125 total
Uxbridge — one active case, 111 total
Scugog — two active cases, 24 total
Brock — three active cases (two new), 14 total

UPDATE: COVID-19 outbreak declared at Oshawa French school. Outbreak strategies include posting signs, limiting visitors to the school. A COVID-19 outbreak has been declared at a French language elementary school in Oshawa. There are two confirmed cases of the virus in students at Ecole elementaire Antonine-Maillet, located at 615 Ridgeway Ave. The first case was reported Sept. 21 and the second was reported Set. 26. Officials with Conseil scolaire Viamonde confirmed Sunday that the Durham Region Health Department has declared an outbreak.

Musing,
"“Nothing great is created suddenly, any more than a bunch of grapes or a fig. If you tell me that you desire a fig. I answer you that there must be time. Let it first blossom, then bear fruit, then ripen.”." (EPITICUS)

Have you got the flu shot yet? Or, are you getting one?

Current household item undergoing hoarding.....paper towels.

Did you know...in 1918 thousands of people were infected with the Spanish Flu after attending the Philadelphia Liberty Loan Parade?

On this day in history, Ted Williams becomes last player to hit .400
On September 28, 1941, the Boston Red Sox’s Ted Williams plays a double-header against the Philadelphia Athletics on the last day of the regular season and gets six hits in eight trips to the plate, to boost his batting average to .406 and become the first player since Bill Terry in 1930 to hit .400. Williams, who spent his entire career with the Sox, played his final game exactly 19 years later, on September 28, 1960, at Boston’s Fenway Park and hit a home run in his last time at bat, for a career total of 521 homeruns.

In 1988, Canadian Cult leader Roch Theriault kills one of his followers.
Roch Theriault fatally wounds Solange Boislard in Ontario, Canada. Theriault, the leader of the most bizarre and violent cult in Canadian history, often physically abused his followers. Obsessed with anatomy and medicine, Theriault performed crude intestinal surgery on Boislard by slicing open her abdomen and ripping out a piece of intestine with his bare hands. He then ordered another follower to stitch up the wound with a needle and thread. When she died the next day in agonizing pain, he sawed off the top of her head, and then sexually assaulted her. Before burying the woman, he removed a rib, which he wore around his neck.

Have you ever....read The Hitchikers Guide to the Galaxy?

Today is - NATIONAL FAMILY DAY – NATIONAL GOOD NEIGHBOR DAY – NATIONAL DRINK BEER DAY – NATIONAL STRAWBERRY CREAM PIE DAY – NATIONAL NORTH CAROLINA DAY











The Bank of Canada unclaimed balances portal can be found here.
supportontariomade.ca
Here is how to clean your non-medical mask.


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.

Lygenztia *568 (No mas, no mas!!!!............) Wednesday September, 23, 2020

Ugh...no mas, por favor. Worldwide stats provided by worldometers put the global COVID-19 number of reported cases today at 31,850,306. (Deaths: 976,559 and Recovered: 23,449,907) 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 Wednesday September 23, 2020:
Health Canada reported 146,663 confirmed cases of COVID-19, to date. 10,525 cases are active, there have been 9,234 deaths and 126,904 people have recovered.

The official Province of Ontario website is reporting 47,752 total confirmed cases and 2,832 total deaths. Currently, there are 82 people are in hospital with 24 of those in ICU. 41,342 cases have been resolved.

Quebec continues to have the highest reported cases in the country with 68,617. (3,362 are active) Quebec case numbers are rising at an alarming rate.

The Region of Durham reported 2,063 confirmed cases of COVID-19. The site reports 1 current outbreaks (Hospitals, LTCF's and Retirement Homes) with 39 outbreaks having been "concluded." Clarington remains at 120 total cases. (None are in isolation, 112 are resolved and 7 people have passed away. Hospitalized currently: "1")
School and Child Care Center outbreaks are currently at "zero."

In international news,
President Donald Trump, in an address to the United Nations General Assembly, called on nations to hold China accountable for its actions that led to the global CCP (Chinese Communist Party) virus pandemic. “We are once again engaged in a global struggle. We have waged a fierce battle against an invisible enemy, the China virus," Trump said. (About time somebody did....)

From National Geographic, HOW WILL AMERICA’S STATE PARKS SURVIVE 2020? America’s state parks are majestic—but threatened. As Miles Howard reports in our article on looming funding cutbacks, cash-strapped state parks are facing an unprecedented year of pandemic and natural disasters. “The closure of Yosemite National Park due to heavy smoke from the wildfires in California sparked national attention. But another story is smoldering in the state: 34 of its 300 state parks have had to shut down due to the fires, which have brought additional pressure on public spaces already straining under a surge of pandemic crowds,” Howard writes. (Pictured above, a wildfire-damaged trail bridge in California’s Big Basin Redwoods State Park.) Just as national parks have seen a record-breaking number of visits, state parks are seeing surges, too. In recent years, the nation’s 10,234 state parks have seen some 759 million annual visitors. “Since the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic, increasing numbers of Americans have been seeking relief from lockdowns by escaping to the great outdoors,” Howard reports.

J&J kicks off final study of single-shot COVID-19 vaccine in 60,000 volunteers. Johnson & Johnson on Wednesday kicked off a final 60,000-person trial of a single-shot COVID-19 vaccine that potentially would simplify distribution of millions of doses compared with leading rivals using two doses. The company expects results of the Phase III trial by year end or early next year, Dr. Paul Stoffels, J&J’s chief scientific officer, said in a joint press conference with officials from the National Institutes of Health and the Trump administration. Rival vaccines from Moderna Inc, Pfizer Inc and AstraZeneca all require two shots separated by several weeks, which make them much more difficult to administer.

In national news,
Today, justin will address Canada to warn of the current COVID-19 situation. (No doubt he will make full use of his drama teacher background and insert all of the dramatic pauses and breathy vocal emphasis. I can no longer take him seriously, he reminds me of the Hall Monitor back when I was a young lad.)

The latest federal modelling shows that we could see up to 155,795 total cases and 9,300 deaths by October 2nd. That’s an increase of 10-thousand new cases and just under a hundred deaths in just 2 and a half weeks. The data was released by federal health officials on Tuesday afternoon and comes as there continues to be a surge in new cases of the virus across several provinces. Just how much of an impact will be felt from COVID-19 will vary greatly depending on the precautions in place. Canada’s top public health officials say they are preparing for a fall peak of COVID-19 cases, and say they there will likely be localized outbreaks until at least January 2022.

From Reuters, TSX futures rise ahead of Trudeau's address over COVID-19 outbreak. Futures for Canada’s main stock index rose on Wednesday ahead of Prime Minister Justin Trudeau’s announcement of a what he says is a far-reaching plan to address the economic pain due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

In Ontario,
Yesterday, Ontario reports highest number of new COVID-19 cases since early May. Ontario’s daily COVID-19 case count has risen to numbers unseen since the height of the pandemic in May when more than 500 cases were reported. Health officials reported 478 new cases of the novel coronavirus on Tuesday, which is the highest daily total since May 2 when 511 cases were reported. The province also reported that three more people have died due to COVID-19, bringing the total number of deaths to 2,832.

Ottawa imposes strict new self-isolation rules as COVID-19 cases rise. Ottawa has become one of Ontario’s COVID-19 hotspots, but they’re hoping new strict self-isolation rules and fines will help. The city’s chief medial officer of health announced new guidelines Tuesday and they’re effective immediately. Now, anyone who tests positive for the virus has to self-isolate immediately along with anyone experiencing symptoms of the virus. The same goes for anyone who is a close contact of a case or is waiting on their test results. If you don’t follow the new rules, you could be fined $5,000 for each day they’re violated. To read the full public health order, click here.

The provincial government says it is implementing the “largest flu immunization campaign in Ontario’s history” as part of a wider plan to prepare for a potential second wave of COVID-19. “We’ve been working through the summer to put in place a robust and comprehensive plan to tackle a potential, more challenging second wave of COVID-19,” said Premier Doug Ford. “It’s important that we prepare for any scenario in order to protect all of our citizens, especially our seniors and most vulnerable. Our government is doing everything it can to defeat this deadly virus, including delivering an unprecedented flu shot campaign to maintain capacity in our hospitals.” According to the province, almost $70-million will be set aside to purchase flu vaccines and deliver an expanded campaign this year. Around 1.3-million doses will be available to seniors. Long-term care homes, hospitals and retirement homes will get priority for early distribution of the flu shots. The province will also be allocating high-dose flu vaccines for seniors to participating pharmacies.

In local news,
Since Friday’s report, 43 new COVID-19 cases have been confirmed in Durham. The health department doesn’t update the numbers on the weekends and said there was an error on Monday so they could not report numbers. Eight cases were reported on Friday, 19 on Saturday, seven on Sunday and 10 on Monday. Those cases add up to 44, however the total number of cases only rose by 43. It’s unclear if and where a case was taken away. To date there have been 2,063 cases reported in Durham and of those, 1,787 are listed as resolved. There are 95 active cases in the region. Ninety-one people are isolating at home and four are in the hospital. One of the people in the hospital is in the ICU. The regional data for the new cases is only available for 40 of them. Three cases are currently under investigation.
Here is the regional breakdown as of Tuesday:
Pickering — 659 total cases, 24 active (10 new cases)
Ajax — 563 total cases, 34 active (12 new cases)
Whitby — 249 total cases, 20 active (13 new cases)
Oshawa — 312 total cases, 10 active (three new cases)
Clarington — 120 total cases, one active (no new cases)
Uxbridge — 110 total cases, zero active (no new cases)
Scugog — 23 total cases, two active (one new case)
Brock — 12 total cases, one active (one new case)
(I sometimes forget just how large Durham Region is.....)

Musing,
"“"As long as you live, keep learning how to live."." (SENECA)

Do you believe that all of the reported Canadian COVID-19 deaths are the direct result of COVID-19, or do you believe the numbers have been exaggerated?

Did you know...in a bad flu season, approximately 4,000 Canadians die from the flu?

On this day in history, Billy the Kid arrested for first time.
On September 23, 1875, Billy the Kid is arrested for the first time after stealing a basket of laundry. He later broke out of jail and roamed the American West, eventually earning a reputation as an outlaw and murderer and a rap sheet that allegedly included 21 murders. The exact details of Billy the Kid’s birth are unknown, other than his name, William Henry McCarty. He was probably born sometime between 1859 and 1861, in Indiana or New York. As a child, he had no relationship with his father and moved around with his family, living in Indiana, Kansas, Colorado and Silver City, New Mexico. His mother died in 1874 and Billy the Kid—who went by a variety of names throughout his life, including Kid Antrim and William Bonney—turned to crime soon afterward. McCarty did a stint as a horse thief in Arizona before returning to New Mexico, where he hooked up with a gang of gunslingers and cattle rustlers involved in the notorious Lincoln County War between rival rancher and merchant factions in Lincoln County in 1878. Afterward, Billy the Kid, who had a slender build, prominent crooked front teeth and a love of singing, went on the lam and continued his outlaw’s life, stealing cattle and horses, gambling and killing people. His crimes earned him a bounty on his head and he was eventually captured and indicted for killing a sheriff during the Lincoln County War. Billy the Kid was sentenced to hang for his crime; however, a short time later, he managed another jail break, murdering two deputies in the process. Billy the Kid’s freedom was brief, as Sheriff Pat Garrett caught up with the desperado at Fort Sumner, New Mexico, on July 14, 1881, and fatally shot him. Although his life was short, Billy the Kid’s legend grew following his death. Today he is a famous symbol of the Old West, along with such men as Kit Carson, Jesse James, Wild Bill Hickok, Doc Holliday and Wyatt Earp, and his story has been mythologized and romanticized in numerous films, books, TV shows and songs. Each year, tourists visit the town of Fort Sumner, located about 160 miles southeast of Albuquerque, to see the Billy the Kid Museum and gravesite.

In 1846, Planet Neptune is discovered.
German astronomer Johann Gottfried Galle discovers the planet Neptune at the Berlin Observatory. Neptune, generally the eighth planet from the sun, was postulated by the French astronomer Urbain-Jean-Joseph Le Verrier, who calculated the approximate location of the planetIn 1946,

Have you ever....mistakenly sent an embarrassing text to somebody that it was not intended for?

Today is - NATIONAL SNACK STICK DAY – INNERGIZE DAY – NATIONAL TEAL TALK DAY – NATIONAL CHECKERS DAY AND DOGS IN POLITICS DAY – NATIONAL GREAT AMERICAN POT PIE DAY – CELEBRATE BISEXUALITY DAY – RESTLESS LEGS AWARENESS DAY




The Bank of Canada unclaimed balances portal can be found here.
supportontariomade.ca
Here is how to clean your non-medical mask.
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.

Lygenztia *567 (Break out your diary, dearest...........) Tuesday September 22, 2020

Worldwide stats provided by worldometers put the global COVID-19 number of reported cases today at 31,507,696. (Deaths: 969,811 and Recovered: 23,134,713) 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 Tuesday September 22, 2020:
Health Canada reported 145,415 confirmed cases of COVID-19, to date. 10,653 cases are active, there have been 9,228 deaths and 125,534 people have recovered.

The official Province of Ontario website is reporting 47,274 total confirmed cases and 2,829 total deaths. Currently, there are 65 people are in hospital with 22 of those in ICU. 41,146 cases have been resolved.

Quebec continues to have the highest reported cases in the country with 66,128. (3,193 are active)
(Quebec registered 586 new cases, yesterday.)

The Region of Durham reported 2,020 confirmed cases of COVID-19. The site reports 1 current outbreaks (Hospitals, LTCF's and Retirement Homes) with 39 outbreaks having been "concluded." Clarington remains at 120 total cases. (3 are in isolation, 109 are resolved and 7 people have passed away. Hospitalized currently: "1")
School and Child Care Center outbreaks are currently at "zero."

In international news,
From the "X-files"..Researchers say belief in conspiracy theories poses barrier to controlling the spread of COVID-19. As scientists around the world race to create a vaccine for the novel coronavirus, some researchers predict that belief in conspiracy theories could hinder the uptake of a safe vaccine once it becomes publicly available. A new study published today in the journal Social Science & Medicine found that conspiracy theories regarding COVID-19 have been persistent from March to July and are associated with the reluctance to adopt preventive behaviours, such as mask-wearing and vaccination in the future. “Belief in pandemic conspiracy theories appears to be an obstacle to minimizing the spread of COVID-19,” said Dan Romer, research director at the University of Pennsylvania’s Annenberg Public Policy Center in a statement. Researchers found the most common COVID-19-related conspiracies had to do with three main issues: the perceived threat of the pandemic, taking preventive actions (such as mask wearing) and the safety of vaccines.

From the New York Times, with Kids in Sports Bubbles, These Parents Are Desperate for a Way In. Many parents are used to following their pro-athlete offspring from game to game. With the pandemic keeping them out of stadiums, some are getting creative. Parents of athletes are weighing a number of risks amid the pandemic. Barred from most venues as sports have restarted, they are looking for loopholes and last-minute flights in hopes of cheering their children in person instead of through television broadcasts and live streams. Accustomed to watching among large crowds, some are instead waking up neighbors while celebrating during game watches in backyards. All recognize moments that they may miss, moments that only come once in a career.

In national news,
From B.C., Sore throat, runny nose among symptoms removed from student health checklist, province confirms. The list of symptoms parents are urged to screen their kids for each morning before they send them to school has gotten shorter. Since the reopening of schools across the province, parents have been asked to monitor their children for symptoms of COVID-19, with districts releasing a daily health checklist. Fever, chills, and shortness of breath are among the 17 symptoms parents were told to screen for. Kids that exhibited any of the symptoms were urged to stay home. But that list of symptoms has been reduced, B.C.'s Ministry of Health has confirmed. Ten symptoms have been removed, including sore throat, runny nose, headache, and fatigue. Districts have since released updated daily health checklists.

What you need to know about COVID-19 in Ottawa on Tuesday, Sept. 22. Key updates on the coronavirus pandemic in the region. What's the latest?
-Amid growing calls for more COVID-19 testing in Ottawa's east end, Mayor Jim Watson announced Monday that a care clinic will open at a community centre in Orléans, likely by mid-October.
-The University of Ottawa has notified students and faculty that its 2021 winter semester will be composed "primarily of remote learning, with only a few exceptions."
-The number of people in Ottawa with known active cases of COVID-19 has surpassed 500 for the first time since May.
How many cases are there?
-There have been 3,679 Ottawa residents who have tested positive for COVID-19: 523 known active cases, 2,880 considered resolved and 276 deaths.

In Ontario,
From Toronto, BITTER PILL: City vows to get tough with pandemic scofflaws. As Toronto’s COVID-19 case numbers continue to rise, the city’s top doctor laments that people just aren’t getting the message. Using some of her most dire language yet, Chief Medical Officer Eileen de Villa said Monday that some tough realities may be coming if people don’t do their part to contain the spread. “As a doctor, I’m trained to tell people things they don’t want to hear,” she said. “I hate doing this, but as a doctor, it’s my job.” Ontario saw 425 new cases on Monday — the most in over three months. Ontario has seen triple-digit case counts since Aug. 15, fuelling fears Toronto is in the midst of a potentially-devastating second wave.

Meanwhile, Mayor John Tory promises to ‘bring the hammer down’ as COVID-19 infections rise in Toronto. City officials are promising stronger enforcement of regulations and bylaws aimed at stopping the spread of COVID-19, amid a troubling and persistent increase in the number of cases. “It is time to get much tougher, to bring the hammer down as it were, when it comes to enforcement,” said Mayor John Tory, speaking at a COVID-19 news conference at city hall. Tory said the city has so far focused on education and warnings, but the time has come to mete out consequences to scofflaws. “I think most people acknowledge we have arrived at that time, “ Tory added. “There is a lot at stake. It’s time to comply.”

COVID-19 tests coming to Ontario pharmacies this week as daily new cases rise to 425. Ontario will begin offering COVID-19 tests at dozens of drug stores within days, Premier Doug Ford said, as the province hit another recent high of 425 new cases and a top health official warned more pandemic restrictions are looming. “This is active, this is moving and it’s moving at a rapid pace,” Ford told a news conference Monday. “Hopefully we’ll have up to 60 pharmacies by the end up the week, up and going, and then they’re just going to continue ramping up.” Fleshing out the plan he has mentioned previously to take pressure off long lines at hospital assessment centres, Ford said the testing by pharmacists is intended for people not showing symptoms of COVID-19.

In local news,
Unfortunately, more COVID-19 cases confirmed at schools in Durham and Toronto. The Durham Catholic District School Board reported its first case Sunday at All Saints Catholic Secondary School in Whitby at 300 Country Lane. Conseil Scolaire Viamonde confirmed a case Sunday at École élémentaire Antonine-Maillet at 615 Ridgeway Avenue in Oshawa while Conseil Scolaire Catholique Mon Avenir announced a case Friday at École Secondaire Catholique Saint-Charles-Garnier at 4101 Baldwin St South in Whitby. Meanwhile, the Durham District School Board reported another two cases Saturday, one at Pierre Elliott Trudeau Public School at 1111 Beatrice Street East in Oshawa and another at Maple Ridge Public School at 2010 Bushmill Street in Pickering. That’s the third case at Maple Ridge and half of a class has been told to stay home. The other half wasn’t exposed because of the staggered start. (The Toronto Catholic District School Board reported its first two cases Saturday.)

Musing,
"“If you don't know, the thing to do is not to get scared, but to learn.”." (AYN RAND)

Did you know...there is a road named Hobbit Lane, not far from Irondale, Ontario?

On this day in history, Lincoln issues the Emancipation Proclamation. On September 22, 1862, President Abraham Lincoln issues a preliminary Emancipation Proclamation, which sets a date for the freedom of more than 3 million enslaved in the United States and recasts the Civil War as a fight against slavery.

In 1946, Canadian woman Evelyn Dick of Hamilton was charged with butchering her husband. Dubbed the "torso murder", she was suspected of and arrested for murder after five local children in Hamilton, Ontario found the torso of her missing estranged Russian husband, known as John Dick. His head and limbs had been sawn from his body and — as later evidence revealed — were disposed of in the furnace of her home at 32 Carrick Avenue.

Have you ever....eaten peanut butter with chili?

Today is - NATIONAL ONLINE RECOVERY DAY – NATIONAL VOTER REGISTRATION DAY – NATIONAL ELEPHANT APPRECIATION DAY – NATIONAL ICE CREAM CONE DAY – CAR FREE DAY – HOBBIT DAY – NATIONAL GIRLS’ NIGHT – NATIONAL CENTENARIAN’S DAY – AUTUMNAL EQUINOX – DEAR DIARY DAY – AMERICAN BUSINESS WOMEN’S DAY – NATIONAL LEGWEAR DAY – NATIONAL WHITE CHOCOLATE DAY
a href="https://ubmswww.bank-banque-canada.ca/en/Property/SearchIndex">Bank of Canada unclaimed balances portal supportontariomade.ca
Here is how to clean your non-medical mask.
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.

Lygenztia *566 ("Clearly, the numbers are heading in the wrong direction".................) Monday September 21, 2020

Worldwide stats provided by worldometers put the global COVID-19 number of reported cases today at 31,276,969. (Deaths: 965,656 and Recovered: 22,853,658) 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 September 21, 2020:
Health Canada reported 143,649 confirmed cases of COVID-19, to date. 9,741 cases are active, there have been 9,217 deaths and 124,691 people have recovered.

The official Province of Ontario website is reporting 46,949 total confirmed cases and 2,827 total deaths. Currently, there are 63 people are in hospital with 23 of those in ICU. 40,968 cases have been resolved.

Quebec continues to have the highest reported cases in the country with 67,542. (2,944 are active)

The Region of Durham reported 2,020 confirmed cases of COVID-19. The site reports 1 current outbreaks (Hospitals, LTCF's and Retirement Homes) with 39 outbreaks having been "concluded." Clarington remains at 120 total cases. (3 are in isolation, 109 are resolved and 7 people have passed away. Hospitalized currently: "1")
School and Child Care Center outbreaks are currently at "zero."

In international news,
Especially important in COVID-19 times, At last! A cure for the hangover has been found, say Finnish researchers. Researchers say that as well as reducing or even eliminating hangovers entirely, the dose also helps 'reduce the need of drinking the next day'. A group of Finnish researchers believe they’ve discovered what people have spent centuries searching for: a cure for hangovers. A dose of 1,200 milligrams of amino acid L-cysteine was found to reduce alcohol-related nausea and headache, while a dose of 600 milligrams helped alleviate stress and anxiety, according to a study published in the journal Alcohol and Alcoholism by researchers at the University of Helsinki and the University of Eastern Finland. The randomized, double-blind study had 19 healthy male volunteers consuming alcohol doses of 1.5 grams per kilogram over three hours in a controlled setting. The subjects were then asked to swallow placebo or L-cysteine tablets containing vitamin supplements. Researchers say that as well as reducing or even eliminating hangovers entirely, L-cysteine also helps “reduce the need of drinking the next day,” thereby cutting the risk of alcohol addiction. (Psssst, l-Cysteine is commonly available over the counter in drug stores.)

From Reuters, UK faces soaring COVID-19 death rate unless it moves fast, medics warn. Britain will face an exponentially growing death rate from COVID-19 within weeks unless Prime Minister Boris Johnson’s government moves urgently to halt a rapidly spreading second wave of the outbreak, the country’s senior medics said on Monday. The United Kingdom already has the biggest official COVID-19 death toll in Europe - and the fifth largest in the world - while it is borrowing record amounts in an attempt to pump emergency money through the damaged economy. But new COVID-19 cases are rising by at least 6,000 per day in Britain, according to week-old data, hospital admissions are doubling every eight days, and the testing system is buckling. Chris Whitty, the government’s chief medical officer, and Patrick Vallance, its chief scientific adviser, cautioned that if left unrestricted the epidemic would reach 50,000 new cases per day by mid October in the United Kingdom. “If this continued along the path...the number of deaths directly from COVID ... will continue to rise, potentially on an exponential curve, that means doubling and doubling and doubling again and you can quickly move from really quite small numbers to really very large numbers,” Whitty said.

In national news,
Conservative Leader Erin O’Toole tests positive for COVID-19, will stay in isolation until October. Durham MP and Leader of the Federal Conservatives, Erin O’Toole has tested positive for COVID-19. His office confirmed the test result just hours after another federal party leader, Yves-Francois Blanchet of the Bloc Quebecois also received a positive test. Neither leader will attend the Liberal’s throne speech, which is set to happen within the week. O’Toole says he will isolate until at least October 1, while Blanchet says he is required to stay in isolation until September 26. Quebec Premier Francois Legault also says he will be getting tested, since he met with O’Toole earlier in the week. The Conservative Party of Canada (CPC) says O’Toole, 47, is feeling well.

Canadians are still flocking to parks and businesses as country braces for second wave. Even though the back-to-school season has coincided with a steady rise in Canada's active COVID-19 case count and fears that a second wave may soon be upon us, Canadians do not seem to be meaningfully adjusting their behaviour when it comes to leaving the house. Colin Furness, an infection control epidemiologist at the University of Toronto, said Sunday that a lot of Canadians seem to be taking a "we can do whatever we want" approach to their life in recent weeks. "It feels to me like a lot of people just threw up their hands and said 'I'm tired of this. I'm hugging, I'm going out, I'm seeing friends,'" he told Sunday on CTV News Channel.

Hmmm...wonder how much a house costs in New Brunswick? No new COVID-19 cases in New Brunswick; one active case remains. New Brunswick is reporting no new cases of COVID-19. According to the province's website, as of Sunday, N.B. has 194 confirmed cases of COVID-19, 191 recoveries and two deaths. One active cases remains. New Brunswick last reported a new case on Monday. It involved an individual between 20 and 29 in Zone 1 (Moncton region). The case is travel-related and the individual is self-isolating.

Montreal, Quebec City under new restrictions as Quebec tries to fend off 2nd wave of COVID-19. Provincial government increased alert level for 3 regions on Sunday. The residents of Montreal and Quebec City are being urged to reduce their social activities to a minimum and face a host of new restrictions as the provincial government tries to curb a rapid increase in cases of COVID-19. Quebec's two largest cities, and the Chaudière-Appalaches region, which is south of Quebec City, will be under "moderate alert" beginning at midnight. That is the orange, or second-highest, alert level under the province's regional system for categorizing the danger posed by the novel coronavirus. Quebec reported 462 new cases of COVID-19 on Sunday and 427 new cases on Saturday. The province hasn't seen similar daily increases since late May. Hospitalizations have been increasing at a slower rate, and are now at 138, up from 124 a week ago. At a news conference on Sunday evening, Health Minister Christian Dubé announced several new public health rules for residents in the orange zones. These include:
-The maximum number of people allowed at a private gathering has been reduced from 10 to six. If a gathering is limited to members of two different families, then it can exceed the six-person maximum.
-Bars and restaurants will stop serving alcohol at 11 p.m. and will close at midnight. A maximum of six people will be allowed per table.
-A maximum of 25 people will be allowed to take part in events like weddings, barbecues or religious services. In settings that involve sitting and little talking, such as movie theatres or concert halls, the current 250-person limit remains in place.

In Ontario,
Government lowers social gathering limits province-wide to 10 people indoors, 25 people outdoors. As the number of new COVID-19 cases continues to rise, social gatherings in Ontario will be getting smaller. Premier Doug Ford announced Saturday that his government would be extending restrictions across the whole province. The number of people allowed at indoor events has now fallen from 50 to 10. At outdoor gatherings, the number has fallen from 100 to 25. As well, outdoor and indoor gatherings can’t be combined. On Thursday, these limits were imposed on Toronto, Peel Region and Ottawa, following rising case numbers in those three areas. That now applies to all events in Ontario, including parties, backyard BBQs, dinners and wedding receptions. On Saturday, the province announced 407 new COVID-19 cases – the highest since June 7. “Clearly, the numbers are heading in the wrong direction,” said Ford in a statement. “We need everyone to follow the public health rules in order to prevent another provincewide lockdown, and protect all our citizens, especially the elderly and the vulnerable.” The limits will not apply to bars, restaurants, movie theatres, gyms, sports events or places of worship. Those places will continue to follow existing safety regulations. As well, the province is proposing to alter current laws to create a new chargeable offence for hosting a gathering over the limits. That would entail a minimum $10,000 fine.

"It's the economy, stupid".........Why Ontario's COVID-19 spike has yet to prompt another lockdown. The last time Ontario recorded more than 400 new COVID-19 cases in a single day, the entire province was still in Stage 1 of its reopening plan. Restaurants, hair salon and barber shops were still closed. The reopening of indoor dining, gyms and bars – which came in Stage 3 – was still more than a month away. While the Ontario government said the “alarm bells are ringing” over the rapid surge in COVID-19 cases, the only thing to change so far is tighter restrictions on private gathering sizes. So what’s different this time? Despite saying Ontario is “clearly headed down the wrong path,” infectious disease specialist Dr. Isaac Bogoch told CTV News Toronto that back in the earlier stages of the pandemic, testing capacity wasn’t nearly what it is now. “Our ability to identify cases has gone up dramatically,” Bogoch said. “There is a better reflection of the ground truth now compared to then. If we were doing this degree of testing back then, we would have seen far more cases.” “Remember, we were turning people away from testing centres.” Bogoch said the case count was likely several times higher than what was reported each day back when testing capacity was lower. “Is it a perfectly accurate picture now? Of course it isn’t,” Bogoch said. “But it’s a much more accurate picture based on the current testing capacity.” Ontario set a new record for testing on Sunday, processing more than 40,000 swabs in a 24-hour period. The government said earlier this week, the next goal will be to increase daily testing capacity to 50,000. In addition, the positivity rate of tests – a key indicator when trying to determine how widespread a virus is in the community – now hovers around 1 per cent. While it has increased from August, it’s nowhere near the rate recorded in April and May when it reached 17 per cent at one point.

In local news,
Two more COVID-19 cases linked to Durham elementary schools. Two more COVID-19 cases have been confirmed within the Durham District School Board. According to the board’s online tracker, one of them is linked to Pierre Elliott Trudeau Public School in Oshawa. The other hails from Maple Ridge Public School in Pickering, where two other cases have previously been confirmed. It’s not clear if this new case is linked to the other two. In one classroom at Maple Ridge, half of the students have been told to stay home. However, due to a staggered start to the year, the other half hasn’t been affected. A total of eight cases have been linked to schools throughout the region.

Musing,
"Give a man a fish and you feed him for a day; teach a man to fish and you feed him for a lifetime." (MAIMONIDES)

Did you know...the majority of deaths during the Spanish Flu (1918) pandemic came in the second wave?

On this day in history, Benedict Arnold commits treason. On September 21, 1780, during the American Revolution, American General Benedict Arnold meets with British Major John Andre to discuss handing over West Point to the British, in return for the promise of a large sum of money and a high position in the British army. The plot was foiled and Arnold, a former American hero, became synonymous with the word “traitor.”

Some guy named George Clooney makes "Facts of Life" debut. On September 21, 1985, a little-known actor named George Clooney makes his first appearance as a handyman on the popular TV sitcom The Facts of Life. Clooney appeared in 17 episodes of the show, which aired from 1979 to 1988 and chronicled the lives of a group of young women who meet at a fictional boarding school. Years later, he moved on to Hollywood superstardom in the hit TV medical drama ER and such films as The Perfect Storm, Ocean’s Eleven, Michael Clayton, Up in the Air and Gravity. (I hear he makes great tequila, too.)

Have you ever....swore at your computer when the web page you are on jumps all around because of pop-ups?

Today is - NATIONAL CHAI DAY – NATIONAL PECAN COOKIE DAY – NATIONAL NEW YORK DAY
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Here is how to clean your non-medical mask.
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.