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

Today, Ontario is reporting 826 new COVID-19 cases. Most of the new cases are in Toronto (292), Peel (186), Ottawa (87), and York (72), with smaller increases in Durham (38), Halton (34), Eastern Ontario Health Unit (19), Wellington-Dufferin-Guelph (16), Hamilton (15), Waterloo (13) Middlesex-London (10), Niagara (9), and Windsor-Essex (6). The remaining 21 public health units reporting 5 or fewer cases, with only 5 health units reporting no cases at all.

Of today’s cases, 54% are among people under the age of 40. With 733 more cases resolved since yesterday, the percentage of resolved cases remains unchanged at 86%. The positivity rate has increased by 0.4% to 2.9%, meaning that 2.9% of all tests performed were positive for COVID-19 on October 22.

For the third straight day in a row, there have been 9 new deaths, including 3 in long-term care homes. The number of hospitalizations has increased by 6 to 276, with 4 more patients admitted to ICUs and 1 less patient on a ventilator. A total of 40,019 tests were completed yesterday, and the backlog of tests under investigation has increased by 652 to 35,436.

The number of new cases in Ontario schools today is 72, a decrease of 2 from yesterday, with 39 student cases, 6 staff cases, and 27 cases among unidentified individuals. There are 8 new cases in licensed child care settings, an increase of 1 from yesterday, with 4 cases among children and 4 cases among staff.

In the greater Kawarthas region, there is 1 new case to report in Kawartha Lakes and 1 new case in Northumberland; however, the previous case in Kawartha Lakes has been resolved. There are no new cases in Peterborough, Haliburton, and Hastings and Prince Edward counties. An additional case in Peterborough has been resolved and 3 cases have been resolved in Hastings and Prince Edward counties.

None of the new cases in Ontario schools and child care settings are in the greater Kawarthas region.

There are currently 16 active cases in the greater Kawarthas region, including 7 in Peterborough, 7 in Hastings and Prince Edward counties, 1 in Kawartha Lakes, and 1 in Northumberland.

Since the pandemic began in the greater Kawarthas region, there have been 141 confirmed positive cases in the Peterborough area (132 resolved with 2 deaths), 185 in the City of Kawartha Lakes (165 resolved with 32 deaths), 46 in Northumberland County (44 resolved with 1 death), 19 in Haliburton County (19 resolved with no deaths), and 73 in Hastings and Prince Edward counties (61 resolved with 5 deaths). The most recent death was reported in Northumberland on September 8.

Province-wide, there have been 68,353 confirmed cases, an increase of 826 from yesterday, with 58,799 (86% of all cases) resolved, an increase of 733. There have been 3,080 deaths, an increase of 9 from yesterday, with 1,987 deaths in long-term care homes, an increase of 3 from yesterday. The number of hospitalizations has increased by 6 to 276, with 4 more patients admitted to ICUs and 1 less patient on a ventilator. A total of 4,825,851 tests have been completed, an increase of 40,019 from yesterday, with 35,436 tests under investigation, an increase of 652 from yesterday.

This report is based on data supplied by the province’s integrated Public Health Information System (iPHIS), as well as any additional information supplied by health units. This information is at least 24 hours old, so it is not real-time data. Note that each health unit reports the information in a different way.

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: 141 (no change)
Active cases: 7 (decrease of 1)
Deaths: 2 (no change)
Resolved: 132 (increase of 1)
Hospitalizations (total to date): 9 (no change)
Total tests completed: Over 33,550 (increase of 150)
Institutional outbreaks: None (no change)

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 Friday, excluding statutory holidays.

Confirmed positive: 250, including 185 in Kawartha Lakes, 46 in Northumberland, 19 in Haliburton (increase of 2, 1 in Kawartha Lakes and 1 in Northumberland)
Probable cases: 0 (no change)
Hospitalizations (total to date): 15 (no change)
Deaths: 33 (no change)
Resolved: 228, including 165 in Kawartha Lakes, 44 in Northumberland, 19 in Haliburton (increase of 1, in Kawartha Lakes)
Active cases: 2 (increase of 2, 1 in Kawartha Lakes and 1 in Haliburton)
Institutional outbreaks: None (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 reports from Monday to Friday, excluding statutory holidays.

Confirmed positive: 73 (no change)
Active cases: 7 (decrease of 3)
Deaths: 5 (no change)
Hospitalized: 0 (no change)
Hospitalized and in ICU: 0 (no change)
Hospitalized and in ICU on ventilator: 0 (no change)
Resolved: 61 (increase of 3)
Total tests completed: 44,968 (increase of 524)
Institutional outbreaks: None (no change)

Province of Ontario

Confirmed positive: 68,353 (increase of 826)
Resolved: 58,799 (increase of 733, 86% of all cases)
Hospitalized: 276 (increase of 6)
Hospitalized and in ICU: 78 (increase of 4)
Hospitalized and in ICU on ventilator: 47 (decrease of 1)
Deaths: 3,080 (increase of 9)
Deaths of residents in long-term care homes: 1,987 (increase of 3)
Total tests completed: 4,825,851 (increase of 40,019)
Tests under investigation: 35,436 (increase of 652)

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

Environment Canada has issued a special weather statement calling for gusty showers and thunderstorms on Friday night (October 23) in the city and county of Peterborough, the City of Kawartha Lakes, and Haliburton county.

Showers and thunderstorms ahead of a cold front are forecast to move eastward across the region on Friday evening.

Wind gusts of 70 km/h, brief torrential downpours, and cloud-to-ground lightning will be associated with some of these storms.

With the arrival of the cold front overnight, temperatures over the weekend will be between 3 and 7°C, dropping a few degrees below freezing overnight on Saturday.

Jo Anne’s Place reopened its store at 1260 Lansdowne Street in Peterborough on Friday (October 23), after temporarily closing it for a day when one of its employees tested positive for COVID-19.

Although the employee who tested positive had not worked at or visited the store for the past week, Jo Anne’s Place closed the store on Thursday (October 22) for professional cleaning and sanitization.

Jo Anne’s Place employees who may have come into close contact with the employee who tested positive are self-quarantining.

After consulting with Peterborough Public Health, Jo Anne’s Place decided to reopen the Lansdowne Street location on Friday.

“The store will be staffed with employees who did not come in contact with the employee who tested positive,” Jo Anne’s Place states in an email sent on Thursday night. “Customers should feel confident that the sanitization of the store that took place today and the existing COVID-19 protocols will offer everyone a safe shopping environment.”

The business also reports that the employee who tested positive is recovering, adding “this seems to be an isolated incident.”

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

Today, Ontario is reporting 841 new COVID-19 cases. Most of the new cases are in Toronto (335), Peel (162), York (106), and Ottawa (72), with smaller increases in Durham (29), Halton (29), Simcoe Muskoka (24), Hamilton (20), Eastern Ontario Health Unit (10), Middlesex-London (10), Niagara (9), and Waterloo (9). The remaining 22 public health units reporting 5 or fewer cases, with 9 reporting no cases at all.

Of today’s cases, 53% are among people under the age of 40. With 741 more cases resolved since yesterday, the percentage of resolved cases remains unchanged at 86%. The positivity rate also remains unchanged at 2.5%, meaning that 2.5% of all tests performed were positive for COVID-19 on October 21.

For the second day in a row, there have been 9 new deaths, including 3 in long-term care homes. The number of hospitalizations has increased by 10 to 270, with 3 more patients admitted to ICUs and 1 less patient on a ventilator. A total of 38,860 tests were completed yesterday, and the backlog of tests under investigation has increased by 5,452 to 34,784.

The number of new cases in Ontario schools today has fallen to 74, a decrease of 70 from yesterday, with 49 student cases, 5 staff cases, and 20 cases among unidentified individuals. There are 7 new cases in licensed child care settings, a decrease of 12 from yesterday, with 3 cases among children and 4 cases among staff.

In the greater Kawarthas region, there are 3 new cases to report in Hastings and Prince Edwards counties, increasing the number of active cases there to 10. There are no new cases in Peterborough, Kawartha Lakes, Northumberland, or Haliburton.

None of the new cases in Ontario schools and child care settings are in the greater Kawarthas region.

There are currently 19 active cases in the greater Kawarthas region, including 8 in Peterborough, 10 in Hastings and Prince Edward counties, and 1 in Kawartha Lakes.

Since the pandemic began in the greater Kawarthas region, there have been 141 confirmed positive cases in the Peterborough area (131 resolved with 2 deaths), 184 in the City of Kawartha Lakes (164 resolved with 32 deaths), 45 in Northumberland County (44 resolved with 1 death), 19 in Haliburton County (18 resolved with no deaths), and 73 in Hastings and Prince Edward counties (58 resolved with 5 deaths). The most recent death was reported in Northumberland on September 8.

Province-wide, there have been 67,527 confirmed cases, an increase of 841 from yesterday, with 58,066 (86% of all cases) resolved, an increase of 741. There have been 3,071 deaths, an increase of 9 from yesterday, with 1,984 deaths in long-term care homes, an increase of 3 from yesterday. The number of hospitalizations has increased by 10 to 270, with 3 more patients admitted to ICUs and 1 less patient on a ventilator. A total of 4,785,832 tests have been completed, an increase of 34,784 from yesterday, with 34,784 tests under investigation, an increase of 5,452 from yesterday.

This report is based on data supplied by the province’s integrated Public Health Information System (iPHIS), as well as any additional information supplied by health units. This information is at least 24 hours old, so it is not real-time data. Note that each health unit reports the information in a different way.

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: 141 (no change)
Active cases: 8 (no change)
Deaths: 2 (no change)
Resolved: 131 (no change)
Hospitalizations (total to date): 9 (no change)
Total tests completed: Over 33,400 (increase of 200)
Institutional outbreaks: None (no change)

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 Friday, excluding statutory holidays.

Confirmed positive: 248, including 184 in Kawartha Lakes, 45 in Northumberland, 19 in Haliburton (no change)
Probable cases: 0 (no change)
Hospitalizations (total to date): 15 (no change)
Deaths: 33 (no change)
Resolved: 227, including 164 in Kawartha Lakes, 44 in Northumberland, 19 in Haliburton (no change)
Active cases: 1, in Kawartha Lakes (no change)
Institutional outbreaks: None (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 reports from Monday to Friday, excluding statutory holidays.

Confirmed positive: 73 (increase of 3)
Active cases: 10 (increase of 3)
Deaths: 5 (no change)
Hospitalized: 0 (no change)
Hospitalized and in ICU: 0 (no change)
Hospitalized and in ICU on ventilator: 0 (no change)
Recovered: 58 (no change)
Total tests completed: 44,968 (increase of 524)
Institutional outbreaks: None (no change)

Province of Ontario

Confirmed positive: 67,527 (increase of 841)
Resolved: 58,066 (increase of 741, 86% of all cases)
Hospitalized: 270 (increase of 10)
Hospitalized and in ICU: 74 (increase of 3)
Hospitalized and in ICU on ventilator: 48 (decrease of 1)
Deaths: 3,071 (increase of 9)
Deaths of residents in long-term care homes: 1,984 (increase of 3)
Total tests completed: 4,785,832 (increase of 38,860)
Tests under investigation: 34,784 (increase of 5,452)

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

Peterborough actor Linda Kash’s reign as the iconic Philly Cream Cheese Angel is now officially over — kind of.

Kash has passed her wings to Humberly Gonzalez, the newest Philly Cream Cheese Angel.

Gonzalez is a Venezuelan-born Toronto-based actor whose credits include Orphan Black, Saving Hope, Workin’ Moms, and Utopia Falls.

“Canadians have a strong emotional connection to Linda Kash as the iconic ’90s Philly Angel, but a new decade calls for a new angel and the chance for Philly to modernize and be reflective of Canada today,” said Nina Patel, head of marketing and innovation at Kraft Heinz Canada, in a September 28th announcement.

Philadelphia Cream Cheese began the hunt for a new Philly Angel in February, encouraging Canadians — with Kash’s help — to submit their audition videos on social media. There were more than 300 auditions, and the company has since decided to have more than one Philly Angel in the future.

“Throughout the search, it was humbling to see so many talented Canadians audition, each bringing their own unique perspective to the role,” Patel said. “We were inspired by what we saw and we look forward to welcoming many Philly Angels in the years to come.”

According to a media release, “Before hanging up her halo for good, Linda will train Humberly on what it takes to be a Philly Angel, sharing inside tips on wing maintenance, the perfect Philly-to-bagel ratio and, of course, a little heavenly gossip as well.”

VIDEO: Linda Kash welcomes Humberly Gonzalez as a new Philly Angel

Kash hasn’t hung up her wings quite yet, though. She has been continuing to appear alongside Gonzalez — who was born in 1995, when the original Philly Angel ads starring Kash were running — in television and social media spots.

“I grew up eating Philly Cream Cheese and am now honoured to be teaming up with this iconic brand to help spread joy and positivity throughout Canada, as one of many new Philly Angels,” Gonzalez said. “Linda has had such an amazing career and her work as the Philly Angel was so inspiring. I can’t wait to meet other future Philly Angels and hope to do Linda’s wings the justice they deserve.”

Kawartha Lakes police are seeking two suspects after a theft at a grocery store in Lindsay on Wednesday afternoon (October 21) that injured an employee.

At 5:50 p.m. on Wednesday, a man and woman entered the William Street grocery store and began placing merchandise into a hand basket. An employee of the store observed the couple leaving the business without paying for the items they had selected.

When the employee attempted to take control of the hand basket from the man, a struggle ensured and the employee was knocked to the floor, sustaining minor injuries in the process. The man and woman fled from the store prior to the arrival of police.

Police describe the male suspect as white, 6′ tall, medium build with “buzz cut” brown hair. He was wearing a black hooded sweatshirt with “Champion” on front in white letters, grey and black camouflage pants, and black running shoes with white soles.

The female suspect is described as white, 5’5″ tall, medium build with long straight dark brown hair worn up in a “messy” bun on top of her head. She was wearing a black jacket with prominent chrome zippers, grey tight-fitting pants, black running shoes with white soles and carrying a large black leather purse with leather and chain shoulder strap.

The Kawartha Lakes Police Service is asking that anyone who may have information about this incident contact them at 705-324-5252. Information can be provided anonymously through Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-TIPS (8477) or at www.kh.crimestoppersweb.com.

A second business in Peterborough has now temporarily closed after an employee tested positive for COVID-19.

Jo Anne’s Place at 1260 Lansdowne Street in Peterborough found out on Wednesday evening (October 21) that one of its employees has tested positive.

“We immediately contacted Peterborough Public Health,” Jo Anne’s Place writes in an email on Thursday (October 22). “Public Health has stated that they do not have any concerns for the general public who have been shopping at the store, as this employee has not worked at or visited our store since Thursday October 15th.”

The storefront at 1260 Lansdowne Street is closed and will be professionally cleaned and sanitized on Thursday. All Jo Anne’s Place employees have been notified and employees that may have come into close contact with the positive employee will self-quarantine.

Jo Anne’s Place’s other two locations, on Water Street in Peterborough and in Lindsay, remain open at this time.

The temporary closure of Jo Anne’s Place comes at the same time as the temporary closure of the McDonald’s restaurant at 1045 Chemong Road North in Peterborough after an employee there also tested positive for COVID-19 on Wednesday.

“Out of an abundance of caution, the decision was made to immediately shut down the restaurant for a thorough cleaning and sanitization by a certified third party,” reads a statement from the company.

Unlike the situation at Jo Anne’s Place, the employee who tested positive at McDonald’s had worked a shift on Wednesday from 7 a.m. to 3 p.m.

All employees who may have been in contact with the employee who tested positive are in self-quarantine. The company is asking any customers who visited the restaurant on Wednesday to follow Public Health Ontario’s guidance at
publichealthontario.ca/en/diseases-and-conditions/infectious-diseases/respiratory-diseases/novel-coronavirus.

“We continue to work with local health authorities to support our people and our guests, and look forward to getting back to serving our community as soon as we can,” the company stated.

Over the past week, Peterborough Public Health has reported new cases of COVID-19 almost daily, including four new cases on Wednesday. It is unknown whether these two cases are included in those four cases.