Worldwide stats provided by worldometers put the global COVID-19 number of reported cases today at 29,471,504. (Deaths: 933,340 and Recovered: 21,296,998) I emphasize reported because there is a wide variance in testing and manner of reporting from country to country and place to place. (I'm guessing the number will hit 30 million by either suppertime, or breakfast tomorrow.)
As of 6:00 a.m. ET on Tuesday September 15, 2020:
Health Canada reported 138,010 confirmed cases of COVID-19, to date. 7,607 cases are active, there have been 9,179 deaths and 121,224 people have recovered.
The official Province of Ontario website is reporting 44,817 total confirmed cases and 2,816 total deaths. Currently, there are 47 people are in hospital with 17 of those in ICU. 39,974 cases have been resolved.
Quebec continues to have the highest reported cases in the country with 65,262. (2,054 are active)
The Region of Durham reported 1,983 confirmed cases of COVID-19. The site reports 1 current outbreaks (Hospitals, LTCF's and Retirement Homes) with 38 outbreaks having been "concluded." Clarington rose to 120 total cases, which is up one. (7 are in isolation, 106 are resolved and 7 people have passed away. Hospitalized currently: "zero")
In international news,
From the tattletale file, and the BBC, Coronavirus: Report 'rule of six' breaches, minister urges. People should report their neighbours for any suspected breaches of new "rule of six" limits on social gatherings, the crime minister has said. Kit Malthouse urged residents to pass on details of suspected law-breaking through non-emergency numbers. From today, new rules restrict indoor and outdoor gatherings in England and Scotland, and indoor groups in Wales. They come after the UK's reproduction, or R, number escalated to between one and 1.2 for the first time since March. There were a further 2,621 confirmed cases of coronavirus in the UK on Monday, a fall after three consecutive days with more than 3,000 positive tests. But there have been widespread concerns about the availability of testing.
From Singapore, SIA Group passenger carriage down 98.3% in August, some flights suspended due to COVID-19.
India recently registered a single-day spike of 94,372 new confirmed coronavirus cases, driving the country’s overall tally to 4.75 million. The Health Ministry on Sunday also reported 1,114 deaths in the past 24 hours, taking total fatalities up to 78,586. Even as infections are growing faster in India than anywhere else in the world, the number of people recovering from the virus has also risen sharply. The country’s recovery rate stands at 77.77% and nearly 70,000 recoveries have been reported every day in the month of September, according to the Health Ministry. The ministry attributed India’s COVID-19 recovery pace to aggressive testing and prompt surveillance, but experts say India needs to test more due to its huge population. It’s climbed to the second worst-hit country behind the United States, and is now testing more than 1 million people every day.
In national news,
Bloc Quebecois leader and caucus in self-isolation after staffer tests positive for COVID-19. The Bloc Quebecois says leader Yves-Francois Blanchet and the party’s whole caucus are in self-isolation after a member of his staff tested positive for COVID-19. A statement from the party says the employee received the positive test today, days after the Bloc held a full caucus meeting. Bloc spokeswoman Carolane Landry says everyone potentially affected will be screened to ensure they’re healthy and will follow public health guidelines. She says all their work has been moved online in the meantime.
What could go wrong? Liberals propose move to House of Commons voting by app as throne speech approaches. If parties representing a majority of MPs agree, the app could be used to cast votes going forward in Parliament following the throne speech. The Liberal proposal was sent to opposition parties last week and obtained by the National Post. It suggests when MPs come back next week for a throne speech they could initially hold votes with a roll call system. MPs would cast their votes either in person in the chamber or via video conference. These special [COVID-19] rules would be in place for the fall sitting of Parliament, until December 11, with new negotiations required on how the House sits in 2021.
Hospitalizations steady despite rising COVID-19 cases. But this could change quickly, experts say. Stable hospitalization, ICU rates could change in next few weeks due to reporting delays. An uptick in COVID-19 cases across the country in the last 10 days has prompted many public health officials to remind Canadians to be on high alert and follow set guidelines to limit the spread. But the relatively stable hospitalization data should not provide too much comfort, as ICU units may begin to fill if cases continue to increase, infectious diseases experts told CBC News. As well, blame placed on younger people, who are apparently driving new infections, may be misplaced as some may be exposed to infections due to factors such as a precarious work environment, rather than being irresponsible, they said. Currently, new cases across Canada mostly represent those under the age of 40. Yesterday, Ontario reported 313 new cases, with 67 per cent falling within that demographic. British Columbia has similarly reported increases tied to outbreaks affecting younger people as well. Lower hospitalization rates support data that indicates a younger age group bearing the brunt of new infections, said Dr. Ashleigh Tuite, an epidemiologist at the University of Toronto's Dalla Lana School of Public Health.
In Ontario,
We all know the economy cannot withstand another shutdown, but Shutdown not off the table for Ontario after 'disturbing' spike in COVID-19 infections. Ontario Premier Doug Ford has warned the province's surging COVID-19 case count is "cause for concern" and that another shutdown is not off the table. Ford made the comments at Queen's Park on Monday after Ontario saw the largest jump in new COVID-19 cases since early June. "Today's numbers, they are cause for concern for all of us," Ford said. "Let me be crystal clear, every option is on the table." "We will take every step necessary, including further shutdowns." Ford said if Ontario was forced into another shutdown he would look at rolling back parts of the province on a region-by-region basis. "We have to look at it in regions," Ford said, adding there are currently three or four COVID-19 hotspots in Ontario. Toronto reported the most new COVID-19 cases in the province on Monday, recording 112 in the previous 24-hour period. Peel Region reported 71 new cases while Ottawa reported 60. All other public health units recorded fewer than 10 new cases, except for York Region, which reported 14 new infections. On Monday, there were 15 public health units across the province that reported zero new infections.
Ontario launches public website tracking number of COVID-19 cases in schools. Parents can now access data on COVID-19 outbreaks in Ontario schools and child-care centres through a website launched by the provincial government on Friday. The province said the website will be updated every weekday and include a summary of cases, as well as more detailed information on where the numbers come from. The website can be found here.
COVID-19 outbreak at Western University, video here. Five students tested positive for the virus and health officials expect more cases in the coming days because of how many close contacts are involved with the investigation. The people who tested positive attended bars and restaurants in London’s downtown core.
This is what downtown Toronto looks like now that many businesses have closed. Mayor John Tory has lamented that 'downtown is essentially devoid of activity, except for residents.' Even now, with many people still working from home, and some COVID-19 restrictions still in place, businesses have struggled to reopen. The retail and food industries, in particular, have struggled. In July, Toronto-based retailer Mendocino announced it will close “all or substantially all” of its 28 stores in Canada after 33 years. It will still operate online. Vesuvio, which bills itself as the city’s first New York-style pizzeria, announced in April that it would close after 63 years. And the city’s beloved 7,000-square-foot dive bar known as Croc Rock was forced to shut its doors in May. According to StatsCan, 12,355 retail businesses closed across Canada in March, April and May this year.
In local news,
There have been 27 new COVID-19 cases in Durham since Friday. The region does not report numbers over the weekend. The total number of cases in Durham rose to 1,983 on Monday. Of those 1,734 are listed as resolved. There are currently 68 active cases in the region. Of the active cases 67 people are isolating at home and one is in hospital at the ICU. Here is the regional breakdown as of Monday:
Pickering — 639 total cases, 17 active (three new cases)
Ajax — 547 total cases, 22 active (16 new cases)
Whitby — 229 total cases, seven active (two new cases)
Oshawa — 305 total cases, eight active (four new cases)
Clarington — 120 total cases, seven active (one new case)
Uxbridge — 110 total cases, two active (no new cases)
Scugog — 22 total cases, one active (one new cases)
Brock — 11 total cases, zero active (no new cases)
COVID-19 related? Or, opportunism? Oshawa’s mayor is asking Durham police for more help addressing crime in the city’s downtown. Dan Carter told the Durham Regional Police Service Board that Oshawa is home to approximately 80 per cent of Durham’s unsheltered population and that coupled with the COVID-19 pandemic, the city is experiencing heightened challenges and issues. He says the area has been overrun with open drug use, assaults, vandalism, break and enters and public urination.
Musing,
It was waaayyy too cold this morning. Winter's coming, in more ways than one. If you are thinking of buying a snowmobile, i'd get on it soon. Because, that's about all there is going to be to do this winter and they are going to sell like crazy. (Much like the ATV boon in sales last spring/early summer.)
Halloween, Thanksgiving, Christmas.... are all fast approaching. I wonder what they will look like this year? For the kids sake, I hope we can figure things out.
Did you know Greenpeace was started by two Canadians?
The border is closed, right? (Insert Borat "NOT" here..) The land border between the U.S. and Canada is (sort of) closed, but really that's about it. Did you know International flights land in Canada, every single day? So as Canadians we aren't free to move about our own country. But, anyone coming in (from anywhere in the world) is good to go, as long as they quarantine/isolate on arrival. Sure, sure, i'm certain that is what is happening.
Life on Venus? An ‘extraordinary’ find in the clouds of Venus could point to the presence of life. Scientists say they’ve detected a gas called phosphine in the atmosphere of Venus—a gas thought to be impossible to make on planets like Earth or Venus without the presence of life. If this finding is confirmed, one of two possibilities could exist on the planet long considered Earth’s twin: an exotic chemistry we don’t understand; or life. Read the story from National Geographic here.
"Time stays long enough for those who use it." (LEONARDO DA VINCI)
On this day in history, in 1978, Muhammad Ali wins world heavyweight championship.
On September 15, 1978, boxer Muhammad Ali defeats Leon Spinks at the Louisiana Superdome in New Orleans to win the world heavyweight boxing title for the third time in his career, the first fighter ever to do so. Following his victory, Ali retired from boxing, only to make a brief comeback two years later. Ali, who once claimed he could “float like a butterfly, sting like a bee,” left the sport permanently in 1981. (Only one fighter went the distance with Ali in his hey-day and he was a Canadian. Can you name him? Put your phone down.)
In 1916, Tanks were introduced into warfare at the Somme.
During the Battle of the Somme, the British launch a major offensive against the Germans, employing tanks for the first time in history. At Flers Courcelette, some of the 40 or so primitive tanks advanced over a mile into enemy lines but were too slow to hold their positions during the German counterattack and subject to mechanical breakdown. However, General Douglas Haig, commander of Allied forces at the Somme, saw the promise of this new instrument of war and ordered the war department to produce hundreds more.
Today is - (busy one) NATIONAL ONLINE LEARNING DAY – NATIONAL DOUBLE CHEESEBURGER DAY – NATIONAL IT PROFESSIONALS DAY – NATIONAL CHEESE TOAST DAY – GREENPEACE DAY – NATIONAL LINGUINE DAY – NATIONAL FELT HAT DAY – NATIONAL NEONATAL NURSES DAY – NATIONAL TACKLE KIDS CANCER DAY – NATIONAL CREME DE MENTHE 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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