Worldwide stats provided by worldometers put the global COVID-19 number of reported cases today at 29,788,293. (Deaths: 940,293 and Recovered: 21,587,636) 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 16, 2020:
Health Canada reported 138,803 confirmed cases of COVID-19, to date. 7,775 cases are active, there have been 9,188 deaths and 121,840 people have recovered.
The official Province of Ontario website is reporting 45,068 total confirmed cases and 2,820 total deaths. Currently, there are 47 people are in hospital with 19 of those in ICU. 40,091 cases have been resolved.
Quebec continues to have the highest reported cases in the country with 65,554. (2,141 are active)
The Region of Durham reported 2,000 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. (7 are in isolation, 106 are resolved and 7 people have passed away. Hospitalized currently: "zero")
In international news,
From National Geographic, what the world needs to do to end this pandemic—and prepare for the next one. In its fourth annual Goalkeepers Report, the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation finds that the COVID-19 pandemic has reversed years of progress toward ending extreme poverty, hunger, and more. In an interview with Nat Geo's Editor in Chief Susan Goldberg, Bill Gates explains why distributing a vaccine equitably among nations would save hundreds of thousands of lives.
How 'draconian' are Melbourne's (Australia) coronavirus lockdown measures? From stay-at-home orders to hefty fines, residents in the Australian city of Melbourne have been living under restrictive COVID-19 lockdown measures that have been described as some of the most draconian in the world. While the entire state of Victoria has been under lockdown orders since early July, the state capital Melbourne has faced especially tough measures in response to several recent outbreaks. Since the beginning of August, Melbourne has been in a stage-four lockdown, which means that most businesses have been shut, residents aren’t allowed to leave their homes, except for essential reasons and for one hour of exercise, and an overnight curfew has been in effect. In early September, the state allowed for the relaxation of a few restrictions; however, the city is still in stage four of its lockdown and the strict stay-at-home orders will be lifted on Oct. 26 if there are fewer than five new cases per day. From the time the harsh restrictions were announced, Victorian Premier Daniel Andrews has been criticized for the response with his detractors dubbing him “Dictator Dan” in the media while others have blamed him for the country’s worsening economy. However, Andrews’ tough stance hasn’t been disparaged by everyone. Many support the state lockdowns and some are even expressing their support on social media, using the hashtag #IStandWithAndrews. In fact, a recent public opinion poll by the market research company Roy Morgan found that 70 per cent of Victorians approved.
People who tested positive for COVID-19 were twice as likely to have dined at a restaurant: CDC study. Researchers found similar rates in case- and control-patients when it came to shopping, going to a salon or gym, and attending in-home gatherings or religious services. People who tested positive for COVID-19 were roughly twice as likely to have dined at a restaurant than those who tested negative for the disease, a new study from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) suggests. The study included data on 314 adults who took COVID-19 tests after experiencing symptoms in July — 154 “case-patients,” who tested positive; and 160 “control-patients,” who tested negative. Health care professionals conducted the tests at 11 facilities in 10 U.S. states: California, Colorado, Maryland, Massachusetts, Minnesota, North Carolina, Ohio, Tennessee, Utah and Washington. Forty-two per cent of the case-patients reported having close contact with someone known to have COVID-19, compared to 14 per cent of the control-patients. The majority of this close contact (51 per cent) took place among family members.
In national news,
The Canada-U.S. border closure will likely be extended until November. Canada and the United States are expected to extend existing border restrictions until November, senior government sources tell CTV News. The current agreement on the U.S.-Canada border closure to non-essential travel was set to expire on Sept. 21. Sources tell CTV News the restrictions will remain in place until it is felt that the COVID-19 pandemic is under control. The travel ban was first imposed in March and has been renewed every month since. Tourists and cross-border visits remain prohibited, although trade and commerce are exempted.
Well, she hasn't been right on anything yet, but that said....'The time to act is now': Tam says in response to COVID-19 spikes. Canada’s top doctor has a stern message for Canadians in response to the rise of COVID-19 cases across the country: change the trajectory before it’s too late. Chief Public Health Officer Dr. Theresa Tam says the spikes are a stark reminder to rein in behaviour that defies physical distancing and other public health guidelines. "The key message is that the time to act is now across the board in terms of reducing some of the contacts you’ve had over the summer months." Her colleague, Deputy Chief Public Health Officer Dr. Howard Njoo, said the spikes are primarily rising from social gatherings. "We must all act now to pump the brakes on this acceleration. Several reported outbreaks have been linked to single gatherings such as private social events, celebrations and community events held indoors," he said.
From the National Post, Nearly one in four Canadians believe officials exaggerate threat of COVID-19, poll suggests. Respondents in Alberta were more likely to believe the threat was embellished, followed by Atlantic Canada and Quebec, with Ontario at the bottom. A new survey suggests there are Canadians who believe that warnings from public officials about the threat of COVID-19 are vastly overblown. Almost one-quarter of respondents in an online poll made public Tuesday by Leger and the Association for Canadian Studies say they believe public health and government officials exaggerate in their warnings, including about the need for measures like physical distancing to slow the spread of the pandemic. Leger executive vice-president Christian Bourque said the results may explain something else that came up in the survey: That a majority of respondents said they have relaxed how strictly they adhere to public health recommendations. Among those recommendations are things like wearing a mask in public, avoiding large gatherings and trying to maintain a two-metre distance between people.
In Ontario,
Ford says announcement coming soon on COVID-19 testing at pharmacies. Asymptomatic Ontarians who want to get tested for COVID-19 may soon be able to avoid the “ridiculous” lineups at some assessment centres and head to their local pharmacy instead, according to Premier Doug Ford. There have been large lineups reported at many of the assessment centres across the GTA in recent days with some people enduring waits of up to three hours just to get a test. The lineups, along with reports of some people being turned away, prompted Mayor John Tory on Monday to call for the hours at assessment centres to be extended.
From Toronto, Shelter costs have doubled during COVID-19 and there may now be a 'business case' for big investment in affordable housing: Tory. The average monthly cost for each shelter bed the city operates has doubled as a result of the need for physical distancing amid the COVID-19 pandemic and Mayor John Tory says that there is now a “solid business” case for investing in thousands of new permanent affordable housing units. Tory made the pitch during a press conference at city hall on Tuesday, in which he called on the federal and provincial governments to contribute $733.5 million to an ambitious plan to develop 3,000 new affordable rental homes over the next 24 months.
If you read the news and check the Ontario website, there are reported cases of COVID-19 in schools (at all levels) all over Ontario. I don't think this is cause for panic, but it has to be troubling for parents of school aged children. (The stats are in the link.)
In local news,
While students in Clarington are heading back to school this week as part of a staggered start, some are without busing. Student Transportation Services of Central Ontario (STSCO) has cancelled a number of routes between September 14 and 18 and they say it’s because of a driver shortage. STSCO runs busing services for both the Kawartha Pine Ridge District School Board and the Peterborough Victoria Northumberland Clarington Catholic District School Board. The company posted the cancellations here and says if any more routes are cancelled this week, an update will be provided daily at 4:30 p.m. There was also a driver shortage for the Durham District School Board and Durham Catholic District School Board (DCDSB) that caused the DCDSB to delay the start of in-person classes one week to September 14.
There are five COVID-19 cases at Durham schools and they’re all in Pickering. Two are at Maple Ridge Public School, an elementary school near Finch Avenue and Liverpool Road. Another two cases are at Pine Ridge Secondary School, which is also in the Finch and Liverpool area. The fifth case was reported last week at a French elementary school. To see the status of all cases at school in Durham, click here.
Musing,
"The world suffers a lot. Not because the violence of bad people. But because of the silence of the good people." (NAPOLEON BONAPARTE)
"Having been violent in the past, doesn't mean you can't be peaceful in the future." (me)
Ever noticed the people that can't laugh at themselves, are the easiest to laugh at?
You can see COVID-19 fatigue everywhere you look. I drove by the baseball diamond the other day....the kids were distanced, but the parents were in lawn chair circles socializing, closely. On the weekend, a few streets over, one of the houses had a sizable block party, complete with a band. Distancing? Nope. I'm not judging them, I often lapse too. It's just symptomatic of the over all COVID-19 fatigue and people's yearning to get back to normal.
I wonder if the onset of Fall and reduced social gatherings (due to weather) will be offset by the emergence of the flu and common cold? Or, will the effects of the flu be less due to masks and social distancing? I guess we are about to see.....
Did you know Play-Doh was first manufactured in Cincinnati, Ohio, United States, as a wallpaper cleaner in the 1930s. The product was reworked and marketed as a toy to children in Cincinnati schools in the mid-1950s.
"Have you ever"....eaten Play Doh? (liar)
On this day in history, Gandhi begins fast in protest of caste separation.
On September 16, 1932, in his cell at Yerwada Jail in Pune, Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi begins a hunger strike in protest of the British government’s decision to separate India’s electoral system by caste. A leader in the Indian campaign for home rule, Gandhi worked all his life to spread his own brand of passive resistance across India and the world. By 1920, his concept of Satyagraha (or “insistence upon truth”) had made Gandhi an enormously influential figure for millions of followers. Jailed by the British government from 1922-24, he withdrew from political action for a time during the 1920s but in 1930 returned with a new civil disobedience campaign. This landed Gandhi in prison again, but only briefly, as the British made concessions to his demands.
William Durant creates General Motors.
On September 16, 1908, Buick Motor Company head William Crapo Durant spends $2,000 to incorporate General Motors in New Jersey. Durant, a high-school dropout, had made his fortune building horse-drawn carriages, and in fact he hated cars–he thought they were noisy, smelly, and dangerous. Nevertheless, the giant company he built would dominate the American auto industry for decades.
(Many Canadians are of the belief that Colonel Robert Samuel McLaughlin, started GM. It's partially true. He started the McLaughlin Motor Car Company in 1907, one of the first major automobile manufacturers in Canada, which later evolved into General Motors of Canada.)
Today is - NATIONAL GUACAMOLE DAY - MAYFLOWER DAY - NATIONAL CINNAMON RAISIN BREAD DAY - NATIONAL PLAY-DOH DAY - NATIONAL STEP FAMILY DAY - NATIONAL WORKING PARENTS DAY
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.
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