Worldwide stats provided by Worldometers put the global COVID-19 number of reported cases today at 114,066,288. (Deaths: 2,531,050 and Recovered: 89,615,341)
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 Saturday February 27, 2021:
Health Canada reported 861,472 confirmed cases of COVID-19, to date. 30,516 cases are active, there have been 21,915 deaths and 809,041 people have recovered.
The official Province of Ontario website is reporting 298,569 total confirmed cases and 6,944 total deaths. 10,294 are active. Currently, there are 646 people are in hospital with 280 of those cases currently in ICU. 281,331 cases have been resolved. The Ontario government has previously said that when the number of COVID-19 patients in the ICU exceeds 300, it becomes nearly impossible for health-care workers to provide care not related to the disease.
The Region of Durham reported 11,776 confirmed cases of COVID-19 (264 active). Clarington rose to 871 cases, of which 22 are active. Hospitalized in Clarington currently: "3", total deceased: "14"
In international news,
COVID cases are falling globally but 'it's not over for anybody,' WHO official cautions. While the number of confirmed infections have dropped globally — from more than five million cases a week in January, to 2.5 million in mid-February, the Financial Times reports — not all countries are on a downward slope, Dr. Mike Ryan, director general of the World Health Organization’s emergencies program said Friday. Brazil is having some of its worst moments yet. The country, whose far-right populist president has downplayed the “little flu,” surpassed a quarter million-related deaths this week, the world’s second-highest death toll, behind the United States. In India, infections are surging in five states. Iraq is under a new lockdown, with mosques and schools closed, and curfews at night and weekends. Hospitals in Mexico and other low and middle-income countries are running out of oxygen. In the U.S., the steep fall in confirmed infections — from a daily average of about 73,400 new cases over the past week compared to 250,000 per day in early January, according to a CNBC analysis — may be stalling, the head of the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention warned Friday. Different trends are playing out in different parts of the world. “There are many countries thankfully where that (downward trajectory) is happening,” Ryan said, “and there are many countries in which that downward trend is not being achieved.” Canada's COVID models have been largely accurate, but worst cases have not materialized. Variant spread could lead to renewed spike in COVID cases and third wave, Tam warns. Many of the new surges are being blamed on VOCs — highly contagious virus “variants of concern,” that are also taking root across Canada.
In national news,
Health Canada approves two AstraZeneca COVID-19 vaccines! Health Canada has approved the Oxford-AstraZeneca COVID-19 vaccine and a related shot by the Serum Institute of India for use in this country with the first doses expected to arrive soon. Canada joins more than a dozen other countries that have given the green light to ChAdOx1 nCoV-19, the shot from AstraZeneca and Oxford University, which was among the first buzzed-about vaccine candidates in 2020. A version of the AstraZeneca vaccine by the Indian pharmaceutical company Serum Institute of India and sponsored by Verity Pharmaceuticals Inc. in Canada has also been approved for use and is considered a separate vaccine by Health Canada. The two-dose vaccines have been approved for use in people 18 years of age and older, including seniors, with the recommendation that the second dose be administered between four and 12 weeks after the first, officials said Friday.
In Ontario,
Barrie latest city placed under lockdown as province invokes emergency brake in Simcoe-Muskoka and Thunder Bay health units. The Ontario government is invoking its so-called “emergency brake” and placing both the Simcoe-Muskoka District Health Unit and the Thunder Bay District Health Unit under the grey lockdown category in its tiered framework for COVID-19 restrictions. The move means that the vast majority of non-essential businesses in both Simcoe-Muskoka and Thunder Bay will have to close as of 12:01 a.m. on Monday. Social gatherings will also be prohibited, except among members of the same household. Retail establishments are still permitted to operate but are limited to 25 per cent capacity unless they predominantly sell groceries, in which case they can have 50 per cent of their regular capacity. The additional restrictions come amid a recent rise in cases in both health units. Thunder Bay’s rolling seven-day average of new cases has more than doubled since this time last week to 38.8 and local officials are recommending that all schools move to remote-only instruction for the next two weeks. Meanwhile, in Simcoe-Muskoka the rolling seven-day average of new cases is up 40 per cent from this time last week and now stands at 43.
In small town news,
Ontario officials have announced Hastings Prince Edward County will remain at the Green-Prevent level. That means passive screening is still implemented (signs asking patrons not to enter if they have COVID-19 symptoms) when going to stores and private organized events like in your backyard or at the park, is limited to ten people inside and twenty-five people outside. Organized events at staffed business facilities are set at 50 people inside and 100 people outside. Restaurants and bars must have two metres between tables, with the maximum amount of people allowed inside at 50. Gyms will also be allowed to open but they are limited to fifty people. If you’re visiting a long-term care centre you must have received a negative test in the past two weeks and verbally confirm to have not tested positive since then. Another negative test will be needed on the day of the visit. The province also suggests reaching out to the home before visiting to make sure there are no on-going outbreaks and to find out if the home has differing visitation policies in place.
Musing,
It must be incredibly frustrating for restaurants and bars in the newly locked down regions. (Muskoka, Thunder Bay) Opening and closing a restaurant isn't as simple as unlocking the door. First, there is the food waste when the restaurant is locked down. But then, re-opening includes food orders, cleaning keg lines, formulating staff schedules (figuring out who is returning), re-jigging menus, purchasing PPE, to name a few. I cannot imagine the stress the COVID yo-yo is causing restaurateurs.
St. Patrick's Day is right around the corner. In the past, packed bars and revelers were the norm. Do you think there will be St. Patrick's Day celebrations in Ontario this year? I'm not so sure.....
There is a huge breakout of anosmia right around the corner, I can smell it.
Did you know...Bill Gates is the largest private land owner in North America?
Have you ever....played with a yo-yo?
WTF is ...............Mardi Gras krewes?
On this day in history, New Orleanians take to the streets for Mardi Gras.
On February 27, 1827, a group of masked and costumed students dance through the streets of New Orleans, Louisiana, marking the beginning of the city’s famous Mardi Gras celebrations. The celebration of Carnival—or the weeks between Twelfth Night on January 6 and Ash Wednesday, the beginning of the Christian period of Lent—spread from Rome across Europe and later to the Americas. Nowhere in the United States is Carnival celebrated as grandly as in New Orleans, famous for its over-the-top parades and parties for Mardi Gras (or Fat Tuesday), the last day of the Carnival season.
Today is - NATIONAL KAHLUA DAY - NATIONAL POLAR BEAR DAY - NATIONAL RETRO DAY - NATIONAL STRAWBERRY DAY - ANOSMIA AWARENESS DAY
The Bank of Canada unclaimed balances portal can be found here.
COVID-19 vaccination approximate dates here.
Lakeridge Health Mental Health Clinic 905-440-7534 or toll free at 1-833-392-7363 (Monday-Friday 9am-4pm)
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