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Ontario reports 1,873 new COVID-19 cases, including 23 in greater Kawarthas region

By kawarthaNOW -

Here’s an update on COVID-19 cases in Ontario as well as in the greater Kawarthas region.

Ontario is reporting 1,873 new COVID-19 cases today, with the seven-day average of daily cases increasing by 2 to 1,874.

In the greater Kawarthas region, there are 23 new cases to report and 19 additional cases resolved, with the number of active cases in the region increasing by 6 to 124.

Most of the new cases reported today are in Toronto (522), Peel (436), York (185), and Hamilton (109), with double-digit increases in Windsor-Essex (81), Durham (80), Waterloo (78), Halton (47), Niagara (45), Wellington-Dufferin-Guelph (38), Middlesex-London (37), Simcoe Muskoka (31), Kingston, Frontenac and Lennox & Addington (24), Southwestern Public Health (21), Ottawa (19), Brant County (17), Hastings Prince Edward Public Health (15), Thunder Bay (13), Haliburton, Kawartha, Pine Ridge District Health Unit (12), Eastern Ontario Health Unit (11), Leeds, Grenville & Lanark (10), and Renfrew (10).

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There are smaller increases in Haldimand-Norfolk (9) and Huron Perth (7). The remaining 10 health units are reporting 5 or fewer new cases, with only 3 health units (all in northern Ontario) reporting no new cases at all.

Of today’s cases, 54% are among people under 40 years of age, with the highest number of cases (687) among people ages 20 to 39 followed by 521 cases among people ages 40 to 59. With 1,918 more cases resolved since yesterday, the percentage of resolved cases has increased by 0.2% to 85.4%. The average positivity rate across Ontario is not available on weekends.

Ontario is reporting 16 new COVID-19 deaths today, including 9 in long-term care facilities. Hospitalizations have increased by 47 to 855, with 2 more patients with COVID-19 admitted to ICUs and 19 more patients on ventilators.

A total of 65,260 tests were completed yesterday, and the backlog of tests under investigation has decreased by 1,626 to 67,654.

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In the greater Kawarthas region, there are 23 new cases to report, including 12 in Northumberland, 5 in Peterborough, 4 in Hastings and Prince Edward counties, and 2 in Kawartha Lakes. There are no new cases in Haliburton.

An additional 8 cases have been resolved in Hastings and Prince Edward counties, 6 in Peterborough, and 5 in Northumberland.

There are currently 124 active cases in the greater Kawarthas region, including 50 in Hastings and Prince Edward counties (most in Belleville and Quinte West), 42 in Northumberland, 18 in Peterborough, 13 in Kawartha Lakes, and 1 in Haliburton.

Since the pandemic began in the greater Kawarthas region, there have been 245 confirmed positive cases in the Peterborough area (222 resolved with 5 deaths), 214 in the City of Kawartha Lakes (182 resolved with 32 deaths), 151 in Northumberland County (108 resolved with 1 death), 27 in Haliburton County (26 resolved with no deaths), and 215 in Hastings and Prince Edward counties (160 resolved with 5 deaths). The most recent death was reported in Peterborough on November 23.

Province-wide, there have been 138,504 confirmed cases, an increase of 1,873 from yesterday, with 118,350 resolved cases (85.4% of all cases), an increase of 1,918 from yesterday. There have been 3,933 deaths, an increase of 17 from yesterday, with 2,469 deaths in long-term care homes, an increase of 9 from yesterday. The number of hospitalizations has increased by 47 to 855, with 2 more patients with COVID-19 admitted to ICUs and 19 more patients on ventilators. A total of 6,904,453 tests have been completed, an increase of 65,260 from yesterday, with 67,654 tests under investigation, a decrease of 1,626 from yesterday.

The provincial data in this report is pulled from Ontario’s integrated Public Health Information System (iPHIS) at 12 p.m. the previous day. Data from local health units is more current and is usually reflected in the provincial data the following day. There may be discrepancies between the Ontario data reported today (which is from yesterday) and the local health unit data reported today (which is from today).

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Peterborough Public Health

Peterborough Public Health’s service area is the City and County of Peterborough and the Hiawatha and Curve Lake First Nations.

The health unit provides daily reports, including on weekends.

Confirmed positive: 245 (increase of 5)
Active cases: 18 (decrease of 1)
Close contacts: 44 (increase of 11)
Deaths: 5 (no change)
Resolved: 222 (increase of 6)
Hospitalizations (total to date): 12 (no change)*
Total tests completed: Over 37,700 (increase of 100)
Institutional outbreaks: None (no change)

*Peterborough Regional Health Centre reports that, as of December 11, there is 1 patient with COVID-19 on an inpatient unit and 1 patient with COVID-19 in ICU (transferred from a partner hospital).

 

Haliburton, Kawartha, Pine Ridge District Health Unit

The Haliburton, Kawartha, Pine Ridge District Health Unit’s service area is the City of Kawartha Lakes, Northumberland County, and Haliburton County.

The health unit provides reports from Monday to Saturday, excluding statutory holidays.

Confirmed positive: 392, including 214 in Kawartha Lakes, 151 in Northumberland, 27 in Haliburton (increase of 14, including 12 in Northumberland and 2 in Kawartha Lakes)*
Active cases: 56, including 13 in Kawartha Lakes, 42 in Northumberland, and 1 in Haliburton (increase of 11, including 2 in Kawartha Lakes and 9 in Northumberland)
Probable cases: 0 (no change)
High-risk contacts: 137, including 24 in Kawartha Lakes, 111 in Northumberland, and 2 in Haliburton (no change)
Hospitalizations (total to date): 18, including 11 in Kawartha Lakes, 6 in Northumberland, and 1 in Haliburton (no change)
Deaths: 33 (no change)
Resolved: 316, including 182 in Kawartha Lakes, 108 in Northumberland, 26 in Haliburton (increase of 5 in Northumberland)**
Institutional outbreaks: Extendicare Kawartha Lakes in Lindsay (no change)

*One additional case has been transferred from another health unit. This is not considered a new case, but has increased Northumberland’s case count by 1.

**The number of resolved cases in Kawartha Lakes has decreased by 1.

 

Hastings Prince Edward Public Health

Hastings Prince Edward Public Health’s service area is Hastings County (including Bancroft) and Prince Edward County.

The health unit provides daily reports, excluding statutory holidays.

Confirmed positive: 215 (increase of 4)
Active cases: 50 (decrease of 4)
Deaths: 5 (no change)
Currently hospitalized: 0 (no change)
Currently hospitalized and in ICU: 0 (no change)
Currently hospitalized and in ICU on ventilator (total to date): 0 (no change)
Resolved: 160 (increase of 8)
Swabs completed: 10,943
Institutional outbreaks: None (no change)

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Province of Ontario

Confirmed positive: 138,504 (increase of 1,873)
Resolved: 118,350 (increase of 1,918, 85.4% of all cases)
Hospitalized: 855 (increase of 47)
Hospitalized and in ICU: 237 (increase of 2)
Hospitalized and in ICU on ventilator: 143 (increase of 19)
Deaths: 3,933 (increase of 17)
Deaths of residents in long-term care homes: 2,469 (increase of 9)
Total tests completed: 6,904,453 (increase of 65,260)
Tests under investigation: 67,654 (decrease of 1,626)

New COVID-19 cases in Ontario from November 11 - December 11, 2020. The red line is the number of new cases reported daily, and the dotted green line is a five-day moving average of new cases. (Graphic: kawarthaNOW.com)
New COVID-19 cases in Ontario from November 11 – December 11, 2020. The red line is the number of new cases reported daily, and the dotted green line is a five-day moving average of new cases. (Graphic: kawarthaNOW.com)
COVID-19 tests completed in Ontario from November 11 - December 11, 2020. The red line is the number of tests completed daily, and the dotted green line is a five-day moving average of tests completed. (Graphic: kawarthaNOW.com)

COVID-19 tests completed in Ontario from November 11 – December 11, 2020. The red line is the number of tests completed daily, and the dotted green line is a five-day moving average of tests completed. (Graphic: kawarthaNOW.com)

 

For more information about COVID-19 in Ontario, visit covid-19.ontario.ca.

Cobourg Community Centre closed for weekend due to COVID-19

By kawarthaNOW -
Cobourg Community Centre is located at 750 D'Arcy Street in Cobourg. (Photo: Town of Cobourg)

The Cobourg Community Centre has been temporarily closed for the weekend due to COVID-19, the Town of Cobourg announced on Saturday (December 12).

The town states it decided to immediately close the facility, located at 750 D’Arcy Street, after users of the centre last week reported a close contact with a person who recently tested positive.

As a precaution, the centre will be thoroughly cleaned and sanitized in its entirety including all arenas, workspaces, washrooms, change rooms, and high-touch surfaces.

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“For the safety of our staff, facility users and entire community we have chosen to close the community centre for the weekend to undergo a deep clean as recommended by public health authorities,” says Tracey Vaughan, Cobourg’s chief administrative officer. “We are committed to the safety and well-being of our community and are taking every measure to reduce the risk of spread of COVID-19.”

The facility’s staff and anyone who visited the facility last week are being asked to self-monitor for COVID-19 symptoms. For more information about COVID-19, including a self-assessment, visit covid-19.ontario.ca.

Following cleaning and sanitization over the weekend, the Cobourg Community Centre will reopen at 8 a.m. on Monday (December 14).

No free New Year’s Eve transit service in Peterborough this year

By kawarthaNOW -

There will be no free transit service on New Year’s Eve in Peterborough this year.

For the past five years, Wolfe Personal Injury Lawyers has partnered with the City of Peterborough to offer free transit service on New Year’s Eve. However, because of the pandemic, the free service won’t go ahead this year.

“Peterborough Transit will not be offering free service this New Year’s Eve as we want to reinforce the public health measures to discourage non-essential travel and large gatherings during the holiday season,” says Peterborough Transit manager Laurie Stratton.

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“While we have put in measures to protect the health and safety of customers and employees, physical distancing remains a challenge on public transit,” Stratton says.

In addition, there will be no extended New Year’s Eve service this year. Previously, buses ran until 3:20 a.m. on New Year’s Day. This year, service on all routes will end by 7 p.m. on New Year’s Eve.

There will be no transit service on Christmas Day or New Year’s Day. For more information on Peterborough Transit’s holiday service, visit peterborough.ca/en/news/peterborough-transit-holiday-service.aspx.

Ontario moves Windsor-Essex and York into lockdown as it reports 1,848 new COVID-19 cases

By kawarthaNOW -
Premier Doug Ford announces additonal public health regions moving into lockdown and provides an update on Ontario's vaccine rollout plan at a briefing at Queen's Park on December 11, 2020. (CPAC screenshot)

Here’s an update on COVID-19 cases in Ontario as well as in the greater Kawarthas region.

With Ontario reporting 1,848 new COVID-19 cases today (raising the seven-day average by 10 to 1,872), the Ontario government is moving two more public health regions — Windsor-Essex and York Region — into lockdown effective Monday (December 14). In addition, Middlesex-London, Simcoe Muskoka, and Wellington-Dufferin-Guelph are moving into “Red-Control”, Eastern Ontario Health Unit is moving into “Orange-Restrict”, and Leeds, Grenville and Lanark District Health Unit is moving into “Yellow-Protect”.

In the greater Kawarthas region, there are 25 new cases to report, with 13 additional cases resolved, and the number of active cases in the region has increased by 12 to 118.

On the vaccine front, the Ontario government announced further details of its rollout. After completion of a COVID-19 vaccine readiness pilot at University Health Network in Toronto and The Ottawa Hospital, the province will begin phase one of its vaccine rollout plan. This will see an expected 90,000 doses of the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine received from the federal government delivered to up to 14 hospital sites in Grey-Lockdown and Red-Control zones in December — to vaccinate health care workers in hospitals, long-term care homes, retirement homes, and other congregate settings caring for seniors — followed by 35,000 to 85,000 doses of the Moderna vaccine, once approved.

When an increased stockpile of vaccines becomes available to Ontario, the province will shift to phase two of its vaccination implementation plan, expected to begin later in the winter of 2021, when vaccinations will be administered to health care workers, as well as to residents in long-term care homes and retirement homes, to home care patients with chronic conditions, and to additional First Nation communities and urban Indigenous populations, including Métis and Inuit individuals. Ontario will enter phase three when vaccines are available for every Ontarian who wishes to be immunized (vaccinations will be strongly encouraged but not mandatory).

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Most of the new cases reported in Ontario today are in Toronto (469), Peel (386), York (205), and Windsor-Essex (106).

There are double-digit increases in Durham (91), Waterloo (77), Ottawa (59), Hamilton (58), Halton (57), Wellington-Dufferin-Guelph (54), Eastern Ontario Health Unit (46), Simcoe Muskoka (39), Middlesex-London (33), Niagara (25), Renfrew (19), Southwestern Public Health (19), Leeds, Grenville & Lanark (17), Kingston, Frontenac and Lennox & Addington (13), Huron Perth (11), Brant County (11), and Thunder Bay (10), with smaller increases in Hastings Prince Edward Public Health (9), Haldimand-Norfolk (9), Haliburton, Kawartha, Pine Ridge District Health Unit (8), Grey Bruce (8), and Lambton (6).

The remaining 8 health units are reporting 5 or fewer new cases, with 4 health units reporting no new cases at all.

Of today’s cases, 54% are among people under 40 years of age, with the highest number of cases (709) among people ages 20 to 39 followed by 515 cases among people ages 40 to 59. With 1,753 more cases resolved since yesterday, the percentage of resolved cases has increased by 0.1% to 85.2%. The average positivity rate across Ontario has decreased by 0.4% to 3.2%, meaning that 32 out of every 1,000 tests performed were positive for COVID-19 on December 10.

Ontario is reporting 45 new COVID-19 deaths today, including 29 in long-term care facilities. Hospitalizations have decreased by 21 to 808, with 7 more patients with COVID-19 admitted to ICUs and 8 fewer patients on ventilators.

A total of 63,051 tests were completed yesterday, and the backlog of tests under investigation has increased by 2,954 to 69,280.

There are 151 new cases in Ontario schools today, an increase of 12 from yesterday, with 125 student cases and 26 staff cases. There are 27 new cases in licensed child care settings, a decrease of 4 from yesterday, with 13 cases among children and 14 cases among staff.

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In the greater Kawarthas region, there are 25 new cases to report, including 12 in Hastings and Prince Edward counties (most in Belleville and Quinte West), 8 in Northumberland, 3 in Peterborough, and 2 in Kawartha Lakes. There are no new cases in Haliburton.

An additional 5 cases have been resolved in Hastings and Prince Edward counties, 5 in Northumberland, 2 in Peterborough, and 1 in Kawartha Lakes. The outbreak at Fairhaven long-term care home in Peterborough has been declared over.

There is 1 new hospitalization in Northumberland.

Of the cases in Ontario schools, there is 1 confirmed staff case at Spring Valley Public School in Brighton, 2 student cases at Trenton High School in Quinte West, and 1 student case at Trent River Public School in Quinte West. None of the reported cases in licensed child care settings are in the greater Kawarthas region.

There are currently 118 active cases in the greater Kawarthas region, including 54 in Hastings and Prince Edward counties (most in Belleville and Quinte West), 34 in Northumberland, 19 in Peterborough, 10 in Kawartha Lakes, and 1 in Haliburton.

Since the pandemic began in the greater Kawarthas region, there have been 240 confirmed positive cases in the Peterborough area (216 resolved with 5 deaths), 212 in the City of Kawartha Lakes (183 resolved with 32 deaths), 138 in Northumberland County (103 resolved with 1 death), 27 in Haliburton County (26 resolved with no deaths), and 211 in Hastings and Prince Edward counties (152 resolved with 5 deaths). The most recent death was reported in Peterborough on November 23.

Province-wide, there have been 136,631 confirmed cases, an increase of 1,848 from yesterday, with 116,432 resolved cases (85.2% of all cases), an increase of 1,753 from yesterday. There have been 3,916 deaths, an increase of 45 from yesterday, with 2,460 deaths in long-term care homes, an increase of 29 from yesterday. The number of hospitalizations has decreased by 21 to 808, with 7 more patients with COVID-19 admitted to ICUs and 8 fewer patients on ventilators. A total of 6,839,193 tests have been completed, an increase of 63,051 from yesterday, with 69,280 tests under investigation, an increase of 2,954 from yesterday.

The provincial data in this report is pulled from Ontario’s integrated Public Health Information System (iPHIS) at 12 p.m. the previous day. Data from local health units is more current and is usually reflected in the provincial data the following day. There may be discrepancies between the Ontario data reported today (which is from yesterday) and the local health unit data reported today (which is from today).

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Peterborough Public Health

Peterborough Public Health’s service area is the City and County of Peterborough and the Hiawatha and Curve Lake First Nations.

The health unit provides daily reports, including on weekends.

Confirmed positive: 240 (increase of 3)
Active cases: 19 (increase of 1)
Close contacts: 33 (decrease of 6)
Deaths: 5 (no change)
Resolved: 216 (increase of 2)
Hospitalizations (total to date): 12 (no change)*
Total tests completed: Over 37,600 (increase of 50)
Institutional outbreaks: None (decrease of 1)**

*Peterborough Regional Health Centre reports that, as of December 11, there is 1 patient with COVID-19 on an inpatient unit and 1 patient with COVID-19 in ICU (transferred from a partner hospital).

**The outbreak at Fairhaven long-term care home in Peterborough has been declared over.

 

Haliburton, Kawartha, Pine Ridge District Health Unit

The Haliburton, Kawartha, Pine Ridge District Health Unit’s service area is the City of Kawartha Lakes, Northumberland County, and Haliburton County.

The health unit provides reports from Monday to Saturday, excluding statutory holidays.

Confirmed positive: 377, including 212 in Kawartha Lakes, 138 in Northumberland, 27 in Haliburton (increase of 10, including 8 in Northumberland and 2 in Kawartha Lakes)
Active cases: 45, including 8 in Kawartha Lakes, 32 in Northumberland, and 1 in Haliburton (increase of 4, including 2 in Kawartha Lakes and 2 in Northumberland)
Probable cases: 0 (no change)
High-risk contacts: 137, including 24 in Kawartha Lakes, 111 in Northumberland, and 2 in Haliburton (net decrease of 58)
Hospitalizations (total to date): 18, including 11 in Kawartha Lakes, 6 in Northumberland, and 1 in Haliburton (increase of 1 in Northumberland)
Deaths: 33 (no change)
Resolved: 312, including 183 in Kawartha Lakes, 103 in Northumberland, 26 in Haliburton (increase of 6, including 1 in Kawartha Lakes and 5 in Northumberland)
Institutional outbreaks: Extendicare Kawartha Lakes in Lindsay (no change)

 

Hastings Prince Edward Public Health

Hastings Prince Edward Public Health’s service area is Hastings County (including Bancroft) and Prince Edward County.

The health unit provides daily reports, excluding statutory holidays.

Confirmed positive: 211 (increase of 12)
Active cases: 54 (increase of 7)
Deaths: 5 (no change)
Currently hospitalized: 0 (no change)
Currently hospitalized and in ICU: 0 (no change)
Currently hospitalized and in ICU on ventilator (total to date): 0 (no change)
Resolved: 152 (increase of 5)
Swabs completed: 10,943
Institutional outbreaks: None (no change)

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Province of Ontario

Confirmed positive: 136,631 (increase of 1,848)
Resolved: 116,432 (increase of 1,753, 85.2% of all cases)
Hospitalized: 808 (decrease of 21)
Hospitalized and in ICU: 235 (increase of 7)
Hospitalized and in ICU on ventilator: 124 (decrease of 8)
Deaths: 3,916 (increase of 45)
Deaths of residents in long-term care homes: 2,460 (increase of 29)
Total tests completed: 6,839,193 (increase of 63,051)
Tests under investigation: 69,280 (increase of 2,954)

New COVID-19 cases in Ontario from November 10 - December 10, 2020. The red line is the number of new cases reported daily, and the dotted green line is a five-day moving average of new cases. (Graphic: kawarthaNOW.com)
New COVID-19 cases in Ontario from November 10 – December 10, 2020. The red line is the number of new cases reported daily, and the dotted green line is a five-day moving average of new cases. (Graphic: kawarthaNOW.com)
COVID-19 tests completed in Ontario from November 10 - December 10, 2020. The red line is the number of tests completed daily, and the dotted green line is a five-day moving average of tests completed. (Graphic: kawarthaNOW.com)
COVID-19 tests completed in Ontario from November 10 – December 10, 2020. The red line is the number of tests completed daily, and the dotted green line is a five-day moving average of tests completed. (Graphic: kawarthaNOW.com)

 

For more information about COVID-19 in Ontario, visit covid-19.ontario.ca.

Wintry weather mess in store for the Kawarthas over the weekend

By kawarthaNOW -

Environment Canada has issued a series of special weather statements for the greater Kawarthas region, forecasting a messy wintry mix of freezing rain, rain, snow pellets, and snow depending on where you live.

For southern Peterborough County including Peterborough and southern Kawarthas Lakes including Lindsay, up to 2 mm of freezing rain is expected on Saturday (December 12).

The freezing rain will begin late on Saturday morning and switch to rain by Saturday evening. Untreated roads and surfaces may become slippery. Environment Canada may issue a freezing rain warning as the weather event draws nearer.

Any accumulation of freezing rain in the morning should melt as temperatures warm up in the evening.

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For northern Peterborough County including Apsley and northern Kawartha Lakes including Fenelon Falls, 3 to 5 mm of freezing rain is expected on Saturday, along with snow and snow pellets.

The freezing rain will begin on Saturday morning and last until Sunday. Several hours of freezing rain may be possible, with ice accumulating on untreated surfaces and power lines. Precipitation will likely include a mix of rain, snow, ice pellets, and freezing rain. Snowfall accumulations are generally anticipated to be limited to 5 cm or less.

For Haliburton County including Haliburton and Minden and northern Hastings County including Bancroft, 5 to 15 cm of snow and ice pellets is expected on Saturday, with up to 20 cm in the most northern areas. There’s also a risk of freezing rain.

The snow will begin Friday overnight and last into Sunday. Poor road conditions are likely due to accumulating snow and possible freezing rain.

This precipitation is a result of an approaching Texas low that will spread precipitation across a large portion of southern Ontario and parts of northeastern Ontario beginning Friday overnight.

Heart-warming video by Kawarthas musicians reminds us it’s still a wonderful world

By kawarthaNOW -
Directed and produced by Michael Hurcomb with co-producers James McKenty, Melissa Payne, and Kate Suhr, the holiday music video #WonderfulWorld features musicians Greg Keelor, Jimmy Bowskill, Beau Dixon, Whitney Hall, James McKenty, Melissa Payne, Kate Suhr, and Fleming College president Maureen Adamson. (Screenshot)

A group of local musicians led by Blue Rodeo’s Greg Keelor have again collaborated virtually in a heart-warming music video released by Fleming College.

The college is dedicating the holiday video – a cover of “What A Wonderful World” by Louis Armstrong – to Fleming College students and staff as well as frontline workers and others who have come together during the pandemic.

Related story

Peterborough musicians led by Blue Rodeo’s Greg Keelor perform ‘Lost Together’ in support of local students and musicians

In April, Fleming College released a music video featuring local musicians, including Greg Keelor, performing a cover of Blue Rodeo’s “Lost Together”. That video was created to support the college’s COVID-19 Student Emergency Fund as well as the Peterborough Musicians’ Benevolent Association (PMBA), which helps local musicians in times of financial need.

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Directed and produced by Michael Hurcomb with co-producers James McKenty, Melissa Payne, and Kate Suhr, the cover of “What A Wonderful World” features musicians Greg Keelor, Jimmy Bowskill, Beau Dixon, Whitney Hall, James McKenty, Melissa Payne, Kate Suhr, and Fleming College president Maureen Adamson.

“These musicians are very special people and our community is blessed to have such passionate talent,” Adamson says. “I could not be more proud of how we have led and navigated through the events of this year with safety as our guiding principle.”

VIDEO: Fleming College presents #WonderfulWorld

“My wish for everyone that watches this video is that they are reminded of the importance of friends, family and community, and that this inspires optimism for a wonderful 2021,” Adamson adds. “We have every reason to be hopeful.”

The video includes special appearances by Tania Clerac, Sandra Dupret, Brett Goodwin, Chandra Gupta, Blake Morris, Angela Pind, Linda Poirier, Neil Price, Elizabeth Stone, Drew Van Parys, and Scott Walling.

Ontario to start rolling out COVID-19 vaccine next week as it reports record increase of 1,983 new cases

By kawarthaNOW -
Retired general Rick Hillier, chair of Ontario's COVID-19 Vaccine Distribution Task Force, held a briefing at Queen's Park on December 10, 2020 to provide an update on the province's vaccine distribution plan. The update comes as Ontario sets a single-day record of 1,983 new confirmed cases in the province. (CPAC screenshot)

Here’s an update on COVID-19 cases in Ontario as well as in the greater Kawarthas region.

As Ontario reports a new single-day record of 1,983 new COVID-19 cases, the provincial government announced it will be rolling out early next week the very first doses of Pfizer-BioNTech’s vaccine, which Health Canada approved on Wednesday (December 9).

“We expect a very small number of doses to arrive in the coming days,” Premier Doug Ford announced today. “Beginning Tuesday, December 15, these first doses will be administered at University Health Network and The Ottawa Hospital to health care workers who are providing care in long-term care homes and other high-risk settings.”

Ford said Toronto and Ottawa were selected as the first locations to receive the vaccine to test and validate the province’s distribution networks for the vaccine, and also because of the challenges the two regions have faced with outbreaks in long-term care homes.

At a media briefing at Queen’s Park on Thursday afternoon following Ford’s statement, retired general Rick Hillier stressed the province’s vaccination program “will take a while” to proceed.

“We cannot vaccinate every single person on day one, so people do have to be patient,” said Hillier, who is chair of Ontario’s COVID-19 Vaccine Distribution Task Force. “We are going to come at the people who are in most vulnerable circumstances and our health care workers first, and get them vaccinated because the tragedy has been visited upon them most. And then we will work through the rest of the people in this province and the priorities that the government will help us define based on our recommendations back to them.”

With the record increase of confirmed COVID-19 cases reported today, the average number of daily cases over the past seven days has increased by 22 to 1,862.

In the greater Kawarthas region, there are 20 new cases to report and 11 more resolved cases, with the number of active cases increasing by 10 to 106 across the entire region.

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Most of the new cases reported today are in Peel (515), Toronto (496), York (208), and Windsor-Essex (112).

There are double-digit increases in Hamilton (75), Waterloo (65), Middlesex-London (61), Ottawa (56), Durham (55), Wellington-Dufferin-Guelph (55), Simcoe Muskoka (54), Halton (51), Niagara (35), Eastern Ontario Health Unit (23), Kingston, Frontenac and Lennox & Addington (17), Southwestern Public Health (17), Thunder Bay (13), Renfrew (11), and Brant County (11), with smaller increases in Leeds, Grenville & Lanark (9), Hastings Prince Edward (6), Haliburton, Kawartha, Pine Ridge District Health Unit (6), and Grey Bruce (6).

The remaining 11 health units are reporting 5 or fewer new cases, with only 2 health units (both in northern Ontario) reporting no new cases at all.

Of today’s cases, 51% are among people under 40 years of age, with the highest number of cases (693) among people ages 20 to 39 followed by 597 cases among people ages 40 to 59. With 1,804 more cases resolved since yesterday, the percentage of resolved cases has increased by 0.1% to 85.1%. The average positivity rate across Ontario has decreased by 0.8% to 3.6%, meaning that 36 out of every 1,000 tests performed were positive for COVID-19 on December 9.

Ontario is reporting 35 new COVID-19 deaths today, including 24 in long-term care facilities. Hospitalizations have increased by 18 to 829, with 7 more patients with COVID-19 in ICUs and 3 more patients on ventilators.

A total of 61,809 tests were completed yesterday, and the backlog of tests under investigation has increased by 11,713 to 66,326.

There are 139 new cases in Ontario schools today, a decrease of 68 from yesterday, with 111 student cases and 28 staff cases. There are 31 new cases in licensed child care settings, a decrease of 11 from yesterday, with 20 cases among children and 11 cases among staff.

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In the greater Kawarthas region, there are 20 new cases to report, including 9 in Hastings and Prince Edward counties (most in Belleville and Quinte West), 5 in Northumberland, 3 in Peterborough, 2 in Kawartha Lakes, and 1 in Haliburton.

An additional 5 cases have been resolved in Peterborough, 3 in Hastings and Prince Edward counties, and 3 in Northumberland.

None of the reported cases in Ontario schools or licensed child care settings are in the greater Kawarthas region.

There are currently 106 active cases in the greater Kawarthas region, including 47 in Hastings and Prince Edward counties (most in Belleville and Quinte West), 32 in Northumberland, 18 in Peterborough, 8 in Kawartha Lakes, and 1 in Haliburton.

Since the pandemic began in the greater Kawarthas region, there have been 237 confirmed positive cases in the Peterborough area (214 resolved with 5 deaths), 209 in the City of Kawartha Lakes (182 resolved with 32 deaths), 131 in Northumberland County (98 resolved with 1 death), 27 in Haliburton County (26 resolved with no deaths), and 199 in Hastings and Prince Edward counties (147 resolved with 5 deaths). The most recent death was reported in Peterborough on November 23.

Province-wide, there have been 134,783 confirmed cases, an increase of 1,983 from yesterday, with 114,679 resolved cases (85.1% of all cases), an increase of 1,804 from yesterday. There have been 3,871 deaths, an increase of 35 from yesterday, with 2,431 deaths in long-term care homes, an increase of 24 from yesterday. The number of hospitalizations has increased by 18 to 829, with 7 more patients with COVID-19 in ICUs and 3 more patients on ventilators. A total of 6,776,142 tests have been completed, an increase of 61,809 from yesterday, with 66,326 tests under investigation, an increase of 11,713 from yesterday.

The provincial data in this report is pulled from Ontario’s integrated Public Health Information System (iPHIS) at 12 p.m. the previous day. Data from local health units is more current and is usually reflected in the provincial data the following day. There may be discrepancies between the Ontario data reported today (which is from yesterday) and the local health unit data reported today (which is from today).

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Peterborough Public Health

Peterborough Public Health’s service area is the City and County of Peterborough and the Hiawatha and Curve Lake First Nations.

The health unit provides daily reports, including on weekends.

Confirmed positive: 237 (increase of 3)
Active cases: 18 (decrease of 2)
Close contacts: 39 (increase of 2)
Deaths: 5 (no change)
Resolved: 214 (increase of 5)
Hospitalizations (total to date): 12 (no change)*
Total tests completed: Over 37,550 (increase of 100)
Institutional outbreaks: Fairhaven (no change)

*Peterborough Regional Health Centre reports that, as of December 8, there is 1 patient with COVID-19 on an inpatient unit and 1 patient with COVID-19 in ICU (transferred from a partner hospital).

 

Haliburton, Kawartha, Pine Ridge District Health Unit

The Haliburton, Kawartha, Pine Ridge District Health Unit’s service area is the City of Kawartha Lakes, Northumberland County, and Haliburton County.

The health unit provides reports from Monday to Saturday, excluding statutory holidays.

Confirmed positive: 367, including 209 in Kawartha Lakes, 131 in Northumberland, 27 in Haliburton (increase of 8, including 5 in Northumberland, 2 in Kawartha Lakes, and 1 in Haliburton)*
Active cases: 41, including 8 in Kawartha Lakes, 32 in Northumberland, and 1 in Haliburton (increase of 6, including 2 in Kawartha Lakes, 3 in Northumberland, and 1 in Haliburton)
Probable cases: 0 (no change)
High-risk contacts: 195, including 19 in Kawartha Lakes, 174 in Northumberland, and 2 in Haliburton (net increase of 10)
Hospitalizations (total to date): 17, including 11 in Kawartha Lakes, 5 in Northumberland, and 1 in Haliburton (no change)
Deaths: 33 (no change)
Resolved: 306, including 182 in Kawartha Lakes, 98 in Northumberland, 26 in Haliburton (increase of 3 in Northumberland)
Institutional outbreaks: Extendicare Kawartha Lakes in Lindsay (no change)

*One previously reported case at a different health unit has been transferred to Haliburton, Kawartha, Pine Ridge District Health Unit. This is not considered a new case, but has increased the case count in Northumberland by 1.

 

Hastings Prince Edward Public Health

Hastings Prince Edward Public Health’s service area is Hastings County (including Bancroft) and Prince Edward County.

The health unit provides daily reports, excluding statutory holidays.

Confirmed positive: 199 (increase of 9)
Active cases: 47 (increase of 6)
Deaths: 5 (no change)
Currently hospitalized: 0 (no change)
Currently hospitalized and in ICU: 0 (no change)
Currently hospitalized and in ICU on ventilator (total to date): 0 (no change)
Resolved: 147 (increase of 3)
Swabs completed: 10,814
Institutional outbreaks: None (no change)

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Province of Ontario

Confirmed positive: 134,783 (increase of 1,983)
Resolved: 114,679 (increase of 1,804, 85.1% of all cases)
Hospitalized: 829 (increase of 18)
Hospitalized and in ICU: 228 (increase of 7)
Hospitalized and in ICU on ventilator: 132 (increase of 3)
Deaths: 3,871 (increase of 35)
Deaths of residents in long-term care homes: 2,431 (increase of 24)
Total tests completed: 6,776,142 (increase of 61,809)
Tests under investigation: 66,326 (increase of 11,713)

New COVID-19 cases in Ontario from November 9 - December 9, 2020. The red line is the number of new cases reported daily, and the dotted green line is a five-day moving average of new cases. (Graphic: kawarthaNOW.com)
New COVID-19 cases in Ontario from November 9 – December 9, 2020. The red line is the number of new cases reported daily, and the dotted green line is a five-day moving average of new cases. (Graphic: kawarthaNOW.com)
COVID-19 tests completed in Ontario from November 9 - December 9, 2020. The red line is the number of tests completed daily, and the dotted green line is a five-day moving average of tests completed. (Graphic: kawarthaNOW.com)
COVID-19 tests completed in Ontario from November 9 – December 9, 2020. The red line is the number of tests completed daily, and the dotted green line is a five-day moving average of tests completed. (Graphic: kawarthaNOW.com)

 

For more information about COVID-19 in Ontario, visit covid-19.ontario.ca.

Kawartha Lakes Food Source recognizes Donna McInnis with Barbara Truax Volunteer Award

By kawarthaNOW -
Kawartha Lakes Food Source volunteer Donna McInnis (left) receiving the Barbara Truax Volunteer Award from Barbara Truax, one of the not-for-profit charitable organization's longest-serving volunteers, in front of a plaque recognizing other Kawartha Lakes Food Source volunteers. (Supplied photo)

Kawartha Lakes Food Source has recognized Donna McInnis with the Barbara Truax Volunteer Award for dedicating more than 226 hours last year to the not-for-profit charitable organization.

For almost nine years, McInnis has volunteered with Kawartha Lakes Food Source, which procures and distributes food to 35 local agencies, advocates for food security and poverty-related issues, and collaborates with the community to support those in need.

“Donna has remained humble about the time and efforts she has dedicated to all aspects of operations,” reads a media release from Kawartha Lakes Food Source announcing the award. “She jumps in to fill roles whenever we need; be it sorting donations, conducting pickups, participating in food drives, gardening, cooking meals and even weeding our patio stones to make sure our entrance is clean and inviting.”

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In addition to her volunteer hours in 2019, McInnis also secured seedlings this year through the local horticultural society for Kawartha Lakes Food Source’s gardens.

“No matter what role she is in, Donna carries herself as a leader, demonstrating patience and kindness with new volunteers,” the organization says. “Her presence is one that is warm and welcoming.”

Kawartha Lakes Food Source established the Barbara Truax Volunteer Award — named to honour one of the organization’s longest-serving volunteers — in 2017, and awards it each year to someone who has been an active volunteer for more than three years, is a positive force within the community, and is committed to the cause.

Art School of Peterborough takes first place in downtown Peterborough’s holiday window contest

By kawarthaNOW -
Jenni Johnston, executive director of the Art School of Peterborough at 174A Charlotte Street in downtown Peterborough, with the first place prize in the Peterborough Downtown Business Improvement Area (DBIA)'s annual holiday window contest. (Photo courtesy of Peterborough DBIA)

The Art School of Peterborough at 174A Charlotte Street in downtown Peterborough has won this year’s holiday window contest sponsored by the Peterborough Downtown Business Improvement Area (DBIA).

Along with bragging rights, the school receives $1,000 courtesy of the the DBIA.

The theme of this year’s contest, which encourages downtown Peterborough businesses to decorate their storefront windows, is “Thank you essential workers”.

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“This year’s theme allowed us to create heartfelt decorations for our community to distribute to their essential workers to say thank you,” says Jennie Johnston, executive director of the Art School of Peterborough.

“We are truly grateful for their efforts to help keep our community safe. Please stop by the art school and show your essential love by picking up a special decoration and deliver it as a thank you this holiday season, free of charge.”

Sparo Lindsay, owner of Union Studio at 391 Water Street in downtown Peterborough, with the second place prize in the Peterborough Downtown Business Improvement Area (DBIA)'s annual holiday window contest. (Photo courtesy of Peterborough DBIA)
Sparo Lindsay, owner of Union Studio at 391 Water Street in downtown Peterborough, with the second place prize in the Peterborough Downtown Business Improvement Area (DBIA)’s annual holiday window contest. (Photo courtesy of Peterborough DBIA)

Union Studio at 391 Water Street won second place and $500, with The Avant-Garden Shop at 165 Sherbrooke Street claiming third place and $200.

All judging for this year’s contest took place online between November 19th and December 5th.

“We have a lot of very creative businesses that put on some great window displays every year,” says DBIA executive director Terry Guiel. “It’s nice to see so many people get involved and vote online.”

Brenda Ibey, owner of The Avant-Garden Shop at 165 Sherbrooke Street in downtown Peterborough, with the third place prize in the Peterborough Downtown Business Improvement Area (DBIA)'s annual holiday window contest. (Photo courtesy of Peterborough DBIA)
Brenda Ibey, owner of The Avant-Garden Shop at 165 Sherbrooke Street in downtown Peterborough, with the third place prize in the Peterborough Downtown Business Improvement Area (DBIA)’s annual holiday window contest. (Photo courtesy of Peterborough DBIA)

Guiel encourages people to come downtown to see all the holiday window displays.

“It’s a bit of a different year, but I hope people will get a chance to come downtown and appreciate some of these window displays in person,” Guiel says.

“It feels very festive downtown right now.”

The many gifts we receive from Ontario’s threatened wetlands

By GreenUP -
The Christie Bentham Wetland is a provincially significant wetland located just south of Burleigh Falls. Also known as the Clear Lake North Wetland, this property was recently purchased by the Kawartha Land Trust to be protected in perpetuity. Development has already erased more than 70 per cent of the wetlands across southern Ontario. (Photo: Jenn McCallum)

Do you love wetlands? You might be surprised how much you appreciate wetlands without even realizing it.

Each week, GreenUP provides a story related to the environment. This week’s story was written for GreenUP by associate professor Dr. Rebecca Rooney and PhD student Courtney Robichaud, wetland researchers at the University of Waterloo.

The concept of getting gifts and giving back is top of mind this time of year. Let’s consider a few of the gifts that wetlands give us.

Scientists and politicians often refer to what wetlands can do for us as “ecosystem services” or “ecosystem functions.” These words put the diversity of ecosystem processes into terms that will resonate with people.

For example, the estimated cash value of wetlands ranges from about $14,200 per hectare per year in the Greenbelt to as much as $161,000 per hectare per year in urban and suburban Ontario.

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Thinking only about the cash value of a gift, however, can miss the point. Dr. Robin Kimmerer, an ecologist and Indigenous (Citizen Potawatomi Nation) scholar, recently gave a speech about this, asking us to think of what the land gives us as gifts rather than only thinking about the land in terms of the services or functions it provides to our economy.

“Much of the society in which we live speaks of these everyday miracles as natural resources, as if they were our property just waiting to be transformed,” Kimmerer said. “In the ecological sciences we sometimes also call these ecosystem services, as if they were these outcomes of the ecological machine.”

“But to traditional peoples, and to me and all of us as human people with a basket full of berries, they feel like gifts from other species that surround us.”

Wetlands provide essential habitat for many endangered and at-risk species such as the Barn Swallow (Hirundo rustica), currently listed as threatened under both the provincial Endangered Species Act and the federal Species at Risk Act. (Photo: Heather Polan)
Wetlands provide essential habitat for many endangered and at-risk species such as the Barn Swallow (Hirundo rustica), currently listed as threatened under both the provincial Endangered Species Act and the federal Species at Risk Act. (Photo: Heather Polan)

With this perspective in mind, let’s take a moment to acknowledge the gifts that wetlands give us.

Hundreds of species of birds rely on wetlands. In turn, we enjoy bird watching and listening to their beautiful songs. Maybe you associate the arrival of spring with the songs of red-winged blackbirds from nearby wetlands. They also provide homes to turtles, snakes, frogs, and fish.

Wetlands serve as frontline workers for the entire planet in the fight against climate change when they trap carbon and lock it lock away in their soils.

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Wetlands also give the gift of reduced flood damage. In the last decade, flooding has become the costliest extreme weather disaster affecting Canadians. Residents of Peterborough may remember the flood of July 15, 2004, when 150 mm of rain fell in just a few hours. That flood caused $95 million in insured losses.

Across Canada, property and casualty insurance payouts are skyrocketing — these payouts exceed $1 billion a year in 11 of the last 12 years, with most of the increase attributed to water-related losses.

Flood damage has direct financial consequences for Ontario taxpayers: higher municipal insurance rates, higher home insurance premiums, devaluation of housing, higher mortgage delinquencies, and more class-action lawsuits due to flood risks and property devaluation.

Property values are enhanced for homes backing onto suburban wetlands like these. Wetlands add natural heritage, flood prevention, and recreational value to neighbourhoods. (Photo: Rebecca Rooney)
Property values are enhanced for homes backing onto suburban wetlands like these. Wetlands add natural heritage, flood prevention, and recreational value to neighbourhoods. (Photo: Rebecca Rooney)

Wetlands reduce the magnitude and speed of flooding. They store surface water, decrease over land flow, and enhance infiltration and evaporation.

In rural and urban areas, intact wetlands reduce the damage of flooding and can save 29 to 38 per cent of associated costs. Preserving wetlands in our neighbourhoods is an extremely cost-effective way to ensure we do not experience flooding that affects our livelihoods.

Another gift wetlands give us is drinking water. Wetlands help replenish aquifers, essential to the 30 per cent of Canadians who rely on groundwater for their drinking water. Paving over or draining wetlands can lead to water insecurity, especially in rural areas where reliance on wells is more common.

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Wetlands also purify water. They filter out pesticides and other harmful contaminants that run off streets, industrial parks, and farm fields. Wetlands reduce the burden on drinking water treatment plants.

According to the Ontario environment minister’s 2019 annual report on drinking water, 80 per cent of Ontarians are serviced by municipal water sources — representing one of the largest costs for municipalities. A portion of the cost of water treatment is passed on to the consumer, with the average Ontario household paying $800 a year in water and wastewater charges.

We also support these water treatment services through tax dollars. Ontario has provided over $660 million in upgrades to municipal wastewater and stormwater infrastructure in the Great Lakes Basin since 2006.

In addition to being beautiful, wetland vegetation like lillies and pickerel weed provide critical nursery habitat for fish, breeding habitat for waterfowl, and help purify the water. (Photo: Courtney Robichaud)
In addition to being beautiful, wetland vegetation like lillies and pickerel weed provide critical nursery habitat for fish, breeding habitat for waterfowl, and help purify the water. (Photo: Courtney Robichaud)

In 2020, another $200 million in federal and provincial funding is committed to priority water, wastewater, and stormwater projects under the Green Stream of the Investing In Canada Infrastructure Program. These costs would undoubtedly be higher without the gifts of hard-working wetlands.

Even wounded, wetlands remain generous. Wetlands strained by invasive plants and flushed with polluted waters continue to support us. Once drained or paved over, those gifts are lost and we must turn to costly restoration or rely on expensive built infrastructure to protect us and our drinking water.

Despite their value, development has already erased more than 70 per cent of the wetlands across southern Ontario.

Dragonflies like this Meadowhawk are common sights at marshes, where they help control mosquito populations. (Photo: Rebecca Rooney)
Dragonflies like this Meadowhawk are common sights at marshes, where they help control mosquito populations. (Photo: Rebecca Rooney)

This loss is usually framed as the cost of doing business in a worldview that pits the environment against the economy.

Environmental economists warn us that this pervasive myth is false. There is no economy without the environment.

We nod — recognizing the bare truth of this in our dependence on clean air, fertile soil, and potable water — yet still we struggle to reconcile the importance of wetlands with the pressures of development.

Wetlands provide essential habitat for many endangered and at-risk species such as the Blanding's Turtle (Emydoidea blandingii), currently listed as threatened under both the provincial Endangered Species Act and the federal Species at Risk Act. (Photo: Leif Einarson)
Wetlands provide essential habitat for many endangered and at-risk species such as the Blanding’s Turtle (Emydoidea blandingii), currently listed as threatened under both the provincial Endangered Species Act and the federal Species at Risk Act. (Photo: Leif Einarson)

So how can you give thanks for the gifts of wetlands?

Share your appreciation with friends and family. Shift discussions away from a false struggle between the economy and the environment. Instead, focus on the facts that show how much we rely on wetlands.

This is the first step in protecting wetlands. We create safe, happy, and sustainable communities when we find ways to value the land and the gifts it provides.

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