With people isolated at home by themselves or with their families, the perennial board game has seen another resurgence in popularity. One popular game is Pandemic, a cooperative board game where players are disease-fighting specialists righting virulent diseases that have broken out simultaneously all over the world. (Photo: CDC)
It’s no surprise the COVID-19 lockdown has forced Canadians to change the way they spend their spare time, with solitary hobbies and family activities seeing a dramatic increase in popularity at the expense of social activities.
Polish-based e-commerce platform Picodi recently compared the frequency of Google search queries in Canada in March 2020 with the same time last year.
At-home creative hobbies like needlecraft and calligraphy have increased in popularity, as have activities such as online and offline gaming, online learning, and home fitness.
Social activities such as going to the movies, concerts, and the theatre have fallen in popularity, as have hobbies like photography that often require mingling with people. Interest in foreign languages has also declined, likely because of travel restriction.
Searches related to home renovation have also declined significantly, possibly because of the financial uncertainty created by the pandemic.
How the hobbies of Canadians have changed due to isolation. (Inforgraphic: Picodi.com)
One at-home activity that has seen a huge increase in popularity is playing board games.
One of the most popular games right now is Pandemic, a cooperative board game where players are disease-fighting specialists righting virulent diseases that have broken out simultaneously all over the world.
According to a 2013 blog post on the Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) website, the game has been a favourite of epidemiologists.
In 2012, Wil Wheaton (Stand by Me, Star Trek: The Next Generation, Big Bang Theory) profiled the game on his TableTop YouTube.
kawarthaNOW is providing a daily report of COVID-19 cases in the greater Kawarthas region.
Here’s today summary: there are 56 confirmed positive cases in the Peterborough area, 110 in the City of Kawartha Lakes, 13 in Northumberland County, 7 in Haliburton County, and 30 in Hastings County and Prince Edward County.
That’s a total increase of 5 cases from yesterday’s report, with 2 additional cases in Peterborough, 1 additional case in Kawartha Lakes (reported by Ross Memorial Hospital), and 2 additional cases in Hastings County and Prince Edward County.
There have been 34 deaths, with no increase in deaths from yesterday’s report. The last reported death was in Peterborough on Sunday, April 12th.
Province-wide, there are 10,010 confirmed cases, an increase of 485 from yesterday’s report, and 514 deaths, an increase of 36 from yesterday’s report. An additional 840 tests were conducted since yesterday’s report.
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 hospitals. This information is at least 24 hours old, so it is not real-time data.
We publish the daily report, usually by late afternoon, with the most current information released by health units. Note that each health unit reports the information in a different way.
Peterborough Public Health’s service area is the City and County of Peterborough and the Hiawatha and Curve Lake First Nations.
Confirmed positive: 56 (increase of 2 from April 17) Confirmed negative: 1,404 (increase of 31 from April 17) Results pending: 272 (increase of 10 from April 17) Deaths: 1 (no change from April 17) Resolved: 31 (no change from April 17) Institutional Outbreaks: Peterborough Regional Health Centre, St. Joseph’s at Fleming, Riverview Manor* (no change from April 17)
*Number of cases not reported.
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.
Confirmed positive: 129, including 110 in Kawartha Lakes, 13 in Northumberland, 7 in Haliburton (increase of 1 from April 17, in Kawartha Lakes*) Hospitalizations: 9 (no change from April 17) Deaths: 33, including 29 in Pinecrest Nursing Home in Bobcaygeon (no change from April 17) Institutional Outbreaks: Pinecrest Nursing Home**, Ross Memorial Hospital***
*The health unit has not yet reported this additional case, but Ross Memorial Hospital announced on April 18 that one inpatient has tested positive. **Number of cases not reported. **The health unit has not yet reported this outbreak, but Ross Memorial Hospital declared an outbreak on April 18.
Hastings Prince Edward Public Health
Hastings Prince Edward Public Health’s service area is Hastings County (including Bancroft) and Prince Edward County.
Confirmed positive: 30 (increase of 2 from April 17) Probable cases: 245 (no change from April 17) Deaths: 0 Institutional Outbreaks: Hallowell House (Picton), Hastings Manor (Belleville)*
*Number of cases not reported.
Province of Ontario
Confirmed positive: 10,010 (increase of 485 from April 17) Under investigation: 6,833 (increase of 840 from April 17) Hospitalized: 828 (decrease of 1 from April 17) Hospitalized and in ICU: 250 (decrease of 5 from April 17) Hospitalized and in ICU with ventilator: 197 (decrease of 3 from April 17) Deaths: 514 (increase of 36 from April 17) Resolved: 4,875 (increase of 681 from April 17)
Confirmed cases of COVID-19 in Ontario by public health unit, January 15 – April 17, 2020. (Graphic: Public Health Ontario)
Ross Memorial Hospital in Lindsay. (Photo: Ross Memorial Hospital / Twitter)
A inpatient at Ross Memorial Hospital in Lindsay has tested positive for COVID-19, resulting in a declaration of an outbreak at the hospital. A COVID-19 outbreak is classified as one or more cases.
The patient, who has been hospitalized for an unrelated health issue on the CCP1 (Continuing Care Program) inpatient unit, was tested after experiencing a sudden onset of symptoms of respiratory illness, according to a media release from the hospital on Saturday (April 18).
A representative from Ross Memorial Hospital tells kawarthaNOW the patient has been in hospital since mid February and presented with symptoms earlier this week. No information is available about how the patient may have contracted the virus.
“Due to our increased surveillance measures, our team was able to swiftly identify this patient’s change in condition and complete testing,” says hospital president and CEO Kelly Isfan. “The hospital will continue to do everything we can to protect our patients and team.”
In a media release, the hospital states it has implemented outbreak control measures, including:
relocating the patient to an isolation room in the hospital’s dedicated COVID-19 unit;
identifying any potential exposures among other patients as well as hospital staff and physicians;
increased surveillance and testing of all patients and staff on the unit, and anyone who may have been in close contact with the patient; and
restricted access to the affected unit.
“The hospital is continuing to work closely with the Health Unit to ensure all precautions are put in place to protect the patients and staff of the hospital,” says Dr. Lynn Noseworthy, medical officer of health with the Haliburton, Kawartha, Pine Ridge District Health Unit.
In addition to outbreak control measures, the hospital already has other measures in place, including following public health directives for personal protective equipment, restricting visitors and non-essential workers, active screening at entrances, and increased screening and surveillance of all patients.
This story has been updated with information about when the patient was admitted to the hospital and when the patient developed symptoms.
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau addresses Canadians on the COVID-19 pandemic from Rideau Cottage in Ottawa on April 17, 2020. (Photo: Sean Kilpatrick / The Canadian Press)
On Friday (April 17), Prime Minister Justin Trudeau announced over $1 billion in support for small and medium-sized businesses, including start-ups, that are suffering financially as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic but aren’t eligible for other federal support programs.
“There are many other firms in the country that don’t qualify for the wage subsidy but still need help,” Trudeau said.
“This funding will help ensure that more businesses especially smaller employees based in more rural parts of the country or those who don’t have a relationship with a traditional financial institution are getting the support that they need.”
The federal government will provide $675 million to Canada’s regional development agencies and $287 million to the Community Futures Network of Canada, which is funded through the regional development agencies.
The $675 million in funding will enable regional development agencies (which include FedDev Ontario) to provide equivalent bridge financing support to businesses that don’t qualify for other federal government COVID-19 relief programs, such as the Canada Emergency Business Account or the federal 75 per cent wage subsidy program.
The $287 million in funding for the Community Futures Network will support rural businesses and communities, including through access to capital, that don’t qualify for other programs.
In the Kawarthas, the funds will be administered through Community Futures Peterborough, Kawartha Lakes Community Futures Development Corporation, the Northumberland Community Futures Development Corporation, the Haliburton County Development Corporation, and Community Futures Development Corporation of North & Central Hastings and South Algonquin.
While details are not available, based on existing programs the support is likely to be the form of loans, possibly with an initial no-interest term followed by a low-interest term. Further information about the funding will be released by regional development agencies and Community Futures organizations.
Trudeau also announced $250 million in funding will be provided through the existing Industrial Research Assistance Program program, operated by the National Research Council of Canada, and $20.1 million will be provided to Futurpreneur Canada, a non-profit organization that supports young entrepreneurs.
In addition to the more than $1 billion in funding for businesses, Trudeau announced plans to provide Heritage Canada with $500 million to support Canada’s arts, sports, and cultural sectors to help address the financial needs of affected organizations within these sectors.
Heritage Minister Steven Guilbeault said the funding will help organizations whose revenues have evaporated because of the COVID-19 pandemic. He said the funding would be provided in “the coming weeks”, but details on how Heritage Canada will administer the funds are not yet available.
kawarthaNOW is providing a daily report of COVID-19 cases in the greater Kawarthas region.
Here’s today summary: there are 54 confirmed positive cases in the Peterborough area, 109 in the City of Kawartha Lakes, 13 in Northumberland County, 7 in Haliburton County, and 28 in Hastings County and Prince Edward County. That’s a net increase of 2 cases from yesterday’s report, with 1 additional case in Peterborough and 1 additional case in Hastings County and Prince Edward County (there has been a reduction of 1 case in Northumberland County since yesterday due to a lab error).
There have been 34 deaths, with no increase in deaths from yesterday’s report. The last reported death was in Peterborough on Sunday, April 12th.
Province-wide, there are 9,525 confirmed cases, an increase of 564 from yesterday’s report, and 478 deaths, an increase of 55 from yesterday’s report. An additional 1,670 tests were conducted since yesterday’s report.
This report is based on data supplied by the province’s integrated Public Health Information System (iPHIS). This information is at least 24 hours old, so it is not real-time data.
We publish the daily report, usually by late afternoon, with the most current information released by health units. Note that each health unit reports the information in a different way.
Peterborough Public Health’s service area is the City and County of Peterborough and the Hiawatha and Curve Lake First Nations.
Confirmed positive: 54 (increase of 1 from April 16) Confirmed negative: 1,373 (increase of 173 from April 16) Results pending: 262 (decrease of 33 from April 16) Deaths: 1 (no change from April 16) Resolved: 31 (no change from April 16) Institutional Outbreaks: Peterborough Regional Health Centre, St. Joseph’s at Fleming, Riverview Manor* (no change from April 16)
*Number of cases not reported.
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.
Confirmed positive: 129, including 109 in Kawartha Lakes, 13 in Northumberland, 7 in Haliburton (decrease of 1 from April 16, in Northumberland due to a lab error) Hospitalizations: 9 (increase of 2 from April 16) Deaths: 33, including 29 in Pinecrest Nursing Home in Bobcaygeon (no change from April 16) Institutional Outbreaks: Pinecrest Nursing Home*
*Number of cases not reported.
Hastings Prince Edward Public Health
Hastings Prince Edward Public Health’s service area is Hastings County (including Bancroft) and Prince Edward County.
Confirmed positive: 28 (increase of 1 from April 16) Probable cases: 245 (decrease of 7 from April 16) Deaths: 0 Institutional Outbreaks: Hallowell House (Picton), Hastings Manor (Belleville)*
*Number of cases not reported.
Province of Ontario
Confirmed positive: 9,525 (increase of 564 from April 16) Under investigation: 5,993 (increase of 1,670 from April 16) Hospitalized: 829 (increase of 22 from April 16) Hospitalized and in ICU: 245 (decrease of 3 from April 16) Hospitalized and in ICU with ventilator: 200 (no change from April 16) Deaths: 478 (increase of 55 from April 16) Resolved: 4,194 (increase of 292 from April 16)
Confirmed cases of COVID-19 in Ontario by public health unit, January 15 – April 16, 2020. (Graphic: Public Health Ontario)
In a video taken by staff of Pinecrest Nursing Home in Bobcaygeon, health care workers at the home applaud as 91-year-old resident Lorraine Button goes for a walk on April 17, 2020 for the first time since the deadly outbreak of COVID-19 in the home, which has claimed the lives of 29 residents. (Screenshot)
A resident of Pinecrest Nursing Home ventured outside today for the first time since the outbreak of COVID-19 at the Bobcaygeon long-term care facility.
The home’s administrator Mary Carr shared the video taken by staff on Friday (April 17) of 91-year-old resident Lorraine Button.
“Lorraine loves to be outdoors and goes on walks around the community daily, so this breath of fresh air tastes especially sweet today,” Carr writes. “This video captures the first walk of its kind in weeks and the staff are clearly thrilled to share this moment with her.”
VIDEO: Pinecrest resident goes for a walk for the first time since COVID-19 outbreak
Carr says that, with the support of the Haliburton, Kawartha, Pine Ridge District Health Unit, residents who had previously tested positive but have been healthy for at least 14 days are able to reintroduce exercise into their daily routine.
“Lorraine first tested positive on April 1st, but is seen here doing well and ready to resume her walks,” Carr writes.
A deadly COVID-19 outbreak at the home has claimed the lives of 29 residents, but the last death of a Pinecrest resident occurred on Thursday, April 9th. Many of the residents who had previously been ill or tested positive for COVID-19 are now doing much better, according to Carr.
This man is wanted by the Kawartha Lakes Police Service in connection with in a stolen vehicle investigation in Lindsay. He was on video surveillance at a gas station in Cobourg on March 31, 2020, where he stole gasoline. (Police-supplied photo)
The Kawartha Lakes Police Service is asking for the public’s help in identifying a suspect in a stolen vehicle investigation in Lindsay. The man is also wanted for stealing gas in Cobourg.
On March 21, 2020, a vehicle was reported stolen from a parking lot in Lindsay.
Ten days later (March 31), photographs of the vehicle and a male suspect were captured on video surveillance at a gas station in Cobourg, where the suspect stole gasoline.
This man is wanted by the Kawartha Lakes Police Service in connection with in a stolen vehicle investigation in Lindsay. He was on video surveillance at a gas station in Cobourg on March 31, 2020, where he stole gasoline. (Police-supplied photos)
The stolen vehicle was recovered by police last Tuesday (April 7) near Smiths Falls, where it was found abandoned in a ditch on Roger Stevens Drive.
Kawartha Lakes police is asking anyone who may have information about this incident to call them at 705-324-5252.
If you wish to provide information anonymously, you can do so through Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-TIPS (8477) or online at www.kh.crimestoppersweb.com.
Healthcare workers at Pinecrest Nursing Home in Bobcaygeon wave as passing cars honk support on April 1, 2020. (Photo: Fred Thornhill / The Canadian Press)
After more than a week with no resident passing away from COVID-19, the administrator of Pinecrest Nursing Home in Bobcaygeon believes the home has “turned a corner.”
“Many of our residents who had previously been ill or tested positive for COVID are now doing much better,” Mary Carr writes in an update to the community on Friday (April 17).
The last death of a Pinecrest resident occurred on Thursday, April 9th. A total of 29 people living at the home have succumbed to COVID-19, devastating their families as well as workers at the home and the entire Bobcaygeon community.
Carr says the home will begin testing residents again for COVID-19 next week and will also begin taking healthy residents for walks on Friday, in accordance with protocols from public health officials.
“This is positive news after a very challenging time,” Carr writes. “We’re not out of the woods yet, but these are very encouraging signs.”
Carr says she will issue no updates over the weekend unless there is new information to report.
The midway at the Cobourg Waterfront Festival, which was scheduled to take place from July 1 to 4, 2020. The festival has been cancelled because of the COVID-19 pandemic, along with all other activities related to Canada Day, including the annual parade and fireworks display. (Photo: Experience Cobourg / experiencecobourg.ca)
There will be no municipal Canada Day celebrations in the Town of Cobourg this year.
As its virtual meeting on Tuesday (April 14), municipal council passed a motion to cancel all activities related to Canada Day, including the annual parade and fireworks display, in response to continuing efforts to help slow the spread of COVID-19 and support physical distancing.
In early April, the Town of Cobourg in partnership with the Rotary Club of Cobourg and Lions Club of Cobourg announced the cancellation of this year’s Cobourg Waterfront Festival, originally scheduled for Wednesday, July 1st to Saturday, July 4th.
“Although Canada Day will not feel the same in Cobourg as it has for the last few decades, we are encouraging all residents to continue to celebrate the nation’s birthday, while following physical distancing guidelines and procedures,” says Mayor John Henderson.
“We are always inspired by the creative and innovative ways our community continues to support and encourage each other through this very difficult time.”
The town has also cancelled the community clean-up during Pitch-in Week, an annual country-wide environmental conservation initiative that runs in April. The entire initiative has been postponed across the country because of COVID-19.
For information about COVID-19 related program and service updates and news in Cobourg, visit cobourg.ca/covid19.
Prosecutors have withdrawn second-degree murder charges against 23-year-old Aaron Simmonds and 18-year-old Zachary Simmonds, who were arrested following the shooting death of 18-year-old Alex Tobin in Omemee on February 18, 2020. (Photo courtesy of Tobin family)
On Friday (April 17), Pamela Vanmeer of Kawartha 411 broke the news that second-degree murder charges have been withdrawn against two brothers from Bethany in shooting death of 18-year-old Alex Tobin in Omemee on February 18, 2020.
Tobin was shot in an apartment at 36 King Street East in Omemee, a small apartment building located across from Omemee Foodland, and died in hospital.
The following day, Kawartha Lakes OPP arrested 23-year-old Aaron Simmonds and 18-year-old Zachary Simmonds, both of Bethany, after witnesses provided descriptions of the suspects in the shooting. The two men were charged with second-degree murder.
Kawartha 411 reports that the charges have now been withdrawn and that police say the investigation is active and ongoing.
According to Kawartha 411, Marie Henein of Henein Hutchison LLP in Toronto, the lawyer for the Simmonds brothers, says the Crown withdrew the charges because her clients are innocent.
“The Crown withdrew the charges because there was no reasonable prospect of conviction,” Henein explained to Kawartha 411. “A review of the evidence in the possession of the police determined that Zachary Simmonds and his brother, Aaron, were not at the scene at the time of the offence and did not commit the crime. Zachary and Aaron Simmonds are innocent as the evidence established.”
Henein’s previous clients include former Ontario attorney general Michael Bryant, who was charged with criminal negligence causing death and dangerous driving causing death after dragging a man with his car causing his death, and former CBC radio host Jian Ghomeshi, who was charged in four cases of sexual assault and one case of choking a woman. Both Bryant and Ghomeshi were cleared of the charges.
Toronto Life has called Henein “one of the most respected and feared criminal lawyers in the country” and The National Post called her the “most high profile criminal defence lawyer in the country.”
In related news, Kawartha 411 reports that the OPP says it is no longer looking for a grey Ford Focus in connection to the case.
A previous version of this story was based on material written by Todd Vandonk of Peterborough This Week. The story has now been modified to indicate that local independent media outlet Kawartha 411 broke the story and to include information from Kawartha 411’s original reporting.
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