Worldwide stats provided by worldometers put the global COVID-19 number of reported cases today at 36,432,442. (Deaths: 1,061,173 and Recovered: 27,434,691)
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 Thursday October 8, 2020:
Health Canada reported 171,323 confirmed cases of COVID-19, to date. 17,916 cases are active, there have been 9,541 deaths and 145,666 people have recovered.
The official Province of Ontario website is reporting 55,945 total confirmed cases and 2,988 total deaths. 5,344 are active. Currently, there are 195 people are in hospital with 43 of those in ICU. 47,613 cases have been resolved. (Hospitalizations in Ontario are steadily rising and of note, the total capacity number for ICU beds is 350. ICU bed utilization is the number to watch, not the total cases.)
Quebec continues to have the highest reported cases in the country with 81,914. (8,273 are active) Quebec case numbers continue to rise at the highest rate in Canada.
The Region of Durham reported 2,264 confirmed cases of COVID-19. The site reports 0 current outbreaks (Hospitals, LTCF's and Retirement Homes) with 40 outbreaks having been "concluded." Clarington remains at 142 cases. (6 are in isolation, 128 are resolved and 7 people have passed away. Hospitalized in Clarington currently: "1")
School and Child Care Center outbreaks are currently at "2." (A public school and a day care centre.)
In international news,
'Symptom-free' Trump returns to work at Oval Office, calls catching COVID-19 a 'blessing from God'. Despite his COVID-19 diagnosis, Trump has been looking for ways to get his election message out and cut into Democrat Joe Biden's lead. U.S. President Donald Trump on Wednesday declared that catching the coronavirus was a “blessing from God” that exposed to him to experimental treatments he vowed would become free for all Americans, in his first video message since leaving hospital. Trump, eager to revitalize his ailing re-election campaign, repeatedly stressed how well he felt so far in his recovery from COVID-19, the disease caused by the coronavirus. It was unclear if he was still testing positive for the virus. “I think this was a blessing from God that I caught it. This was a blessing in disguise,” Trump said, adding that his use of the medication from Regeneron Pharmaceuticals Inc had allowed him to experience first-hand how effective it could be. Trump, who has been widely criticized for a slow response to the pandemic that has killed more than 210,000 Americans and putting his own staff at risk by discouraging the use of masks in the White House and on the campaign trail, also cited similar medication from Eli Lilly and Co.
From Russia, Kremlin calls rise in Russian COVID-19 cases cause for serious concern. The Kremlin said on Thursday that a rise in new coronavirus cases in Russia was a cause for serious concern and warned that numbers could rise even quicker unless people took heed of the situation and protected themselves. Russia reported 11,493 new coronavirus cases earlier on Thursday, just short of the most confirmed in a single day during the pandemic, pushing the overall total to 1,260,112.
From the Wall Street Journal, Sweden Tries to Isolate Covid-19 Cases Without a Lockdown as Infections Surge. The new measures recommend that all members of a household isolate for a week if one member gets infected. According to Worldometers, Sweden has had 96,677 cases to date, with 5,892 deaths.
In national news,
Premier calls on Quebecers to stay home as COVID-19 hospitalizations double in two weeks. Quebec's premier is repeating a refrain by the health minister in recent days as COVID-19 cases and hospitalizations continue to worry officials. "My message is clear and simple today. Please stay home," said Francois Legault in an afternoon press briefing. "You can go to school or to work but otherwise, please stay home." Quebec health authorities reported 900 new cases of COVID-19 in the province on Wednesday, bringing the total number of cases since the start of the pandemic to 81,914. Wednesday's update is the first time the province has reported fewer than 1,000 cases of the diseases in a week. The province is also reporting seven more deaths linked to the disease. One of them took place in the past 24 hours, four are from between Sept. 30 and Oct. 5 and two are from an unknown date, for a total of 5,906 since the start of the pandemic.
Canadian researchers explore whether TB vaccine offers COVID-19 protection. Canadian researchers have launched a study to determine if a century-old vaccine against tuberculosis can offer some protection against COVID-19. Investigators at the University Health Network in Toronto say they hope to test a theory that Bacille Calmette Guerin, or BCG, can reduce the incidence and severity of COVID-19 infection. The trial is open to police, fire and health-care workers who are at greater risk of COVID-19 exposure, with researchers hoping to recruit more than 3,600 participants. Principal co-investigator Dr. Alexandre Zlotta says that if the inexpensive vaccine proves helpful, it can be rapidly deployed to offer temporary protection until a COVID-specific vaccine is widely available. While BCG continues to be used in European and developing countries, Canada discontinued routine use in the early 1970s, according to Toronto Public Health. Tuberculosis cases in Canada are among the lowest in the world, although certain vulnerable populations are at higher risk for the infectious, bacterial disease. Dubbed “COBRA,” the double-blind placebo-controlled study is unfolding alongside trials in Germany and the United States. Experts expect to release results in May 2021. Interest in BCG emerged early in the pandemic when researchers noticed some countries with higher rates of BCG coverage also had significantly lower rates of COVID-19 deaths. But more recent analysis reflecting the pandemic's movement across the globe bucks that idea.
In Ontario,
The Ontario Hockey League (OHL) is heading into major issues. Province tells OHL to drop bodychecks and physical contact or next season won’t happen. The Ontario Hockey League (OHL) must ban bodychecks and other forms of physical contact if they’re hoping to hold a 2020-2021 season. That’s according to Ontario’s Minister of Heritage, Sport, Tourism and Culture, Lisa MacLeod. She says that the OHL has submitted a proposal seeking a return to play in December. However, with cases of COVID-19 rising across the province, MacLeod was clear in saying that the proposal wouldn’t be accepted if it included anything other than incidental body contact. She also says that the government isn’t able to do anything beyond negotiate, since the four-week pause on reopening is still in effect. Minor hockey associations across the province have planned to restart this month, though games will be played without bodychecking, fighting or faceoffs. (OHL hockey is an incredibly physically, intense sport. The flow of the game based on a high level of physical interaction. So, how will this look, or work? Who knows...)
Ford responds to City's top doctor, stands firm on keepings bars & restaurants open. The Premier still isn’t convinced shutting down indoor dining in Toronto is the right thing to do. Doug Ford is not on side with the request by the City’s Medical Officer of Health, Dr. Eileen de Villa, even though public health reports 44 per cent of the recent outbreaks have been linked to restaurants, bars and entertainment venues. “So, based on 20 businesses, there’s 7,600 small restaurant owners. Am I going to destroy 7,600 businesses over 20 people we’re going to target that are bad actors out there?,” Ford said on Wednesday. “We’re going to make sure the Minister of Labour is putting down some pretty heavy fines and we have put in the protocols to keep these places open,” he added.
Takeout booze will be made permanent as part of Ford government plan to help struggling small businesses. Ontarians who have gotten used to being able to order beer, wine and spirits as part of their takeout orders will be able to continue doing so, even after the COVID-19 pandemic is over. The Ford government introduced an emergency order in March that allowed licenced restaurants and bars to include alcohol with food delivery orders as a way to support an industry that was struggling amid the various restrictions that had been put in place to limit the spread of COVID-19. While all of the various emergency orders put into place as part of the state of emergency will eventually be lifted, it appears that takeout booze is here to stay. At a press conference at Queen’s Park on Wednesday morning, Associate Minister of Small Business and Red Tape Reduction Prabmeet Sarkaria confirmed that the Ford government is working on the necessary legislative changes to permanently allow restaurant and bars to add beer, wine and spirits to takeout orders going forward. The news come after Toronto City Council voted to formally request that the province extend the measure through 2021 as part of a five-point plan to support struggling restaurants and bars.
In local news,
Little Free Pantry set up in Oshawa. If you’re running low on food or basics in your pantry, but it’s hard for you to restock, a little blue pantry in an Oshawa neighbourhood might be able to help. A local good Samaritan has set up a Little Free Pantry on Vancouver Street, near Thornton Road South and Gibb Street. If you’re able to help, you can stop by and drop off any non-perishable food items or basic supplies, such as hand sanitizer, soap, deodorant or packaged and sealed disposable masks or gloves. Anyone from the community who isn’t sure where to get their next meal can check out the pantry. Older people or those with health conditions can visit the pantry if they’re worried about visiting a store and can’t find anyone to help. The pantry is operating in the spirit of “give what you can, take what you need,” and can be found on Vancouver, close to Barkley Crescent.
More COVID-19 cases at Pickering's Dunbarton High School. Whitby's Colonel JE Farewell Public School reports first case. The Durham District School Board is reporting two more cases of COVID-19 at Dunbarton High School in Pickering and a new case at Colonel JE Farewell Public School in Whitby. The first case at Dunbarton, located at 655 Sheppard Ave., was reported on Monday, with two more cases reported on Wednesday Oct. 7. The school board also reported on Wednesday that a cohort of roughly 15 students is in 14-day isolation as a result of the COVID cases. The school remains open. Meanwhile, Whitby's Colonel Farewell school reported its first COVID-19 case and a class at the school is now in a 14-day isolation while the school remains open. The school is located at 810 McQuay Blvd.
Musing,
““Own only what you can always carry with you: know languages, know countries, know people. Let your memory be your travel bag.” .” (ALEKSANDR SOLZHENITSYN)
WTF is Fluffernutter?
Ontario could permanently move to daylight time? 'bout time.
Have you ever....drank from one of these new paper straws? Weird. Not awful, and I can get used to it but....weird.
Did you know....James Creighton is credited with creating the first organized hockey. to be played as a team sport. In 1872, he moved from Halifax, Nova Scotia to Montreal, bringing skates, hockey sticks, and a game with a basic set of rules with him.
On this day in history, in 1871, the Great Chicago Fire begins.
On October 8, flames spark in the Chicago barn of Patrick and Catherine O’Leary, igniting a two-day blaze that kills between 200 and 300 people, destroys 17,450 buildings, leaves 100,000 homeless and causes an estimated $200 million (in 1871 dollars; roughly $4 billion in 2020 dollars) in damages. Legend has it that a cow kicked over a lantern in the O’Leary barn and started the fire, but other theories hold that humans or even a comet may have been responsible.
Speaking of fire, on this day in 1957, Jerry Lee Lewis records “Great Balls Of Fire” in Memphis, Tennessee. Jerry Lee Lewis was not the only early rock-and-roller from a strict Christian background who struggled to reconcile his religious beliefs with the moral implications of the music he created. He may have been the only one to have one of his religious crises caught on tape, however—in between takes on one of his legendary hit songs. It was on October 8, 1957, that bible-school dropout Jerry Lee Lewis laid down the definitive version of “Great Balls of Fire."
Today is - NATIONAL FLUFFERNUTTER DAY – NATIONAL PIEROGI DAY – AMERICAN TOUCH TAG 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.
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