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COVID-19: Here's the situation in the Sault today

Ford extends provincial state of emergency by 28 days
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Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, addressing Canadians wondering when their communities will be back up and running as they deal with COVID-19 measures, stated Tuesday “it depends on where you live, and how things are going for your city or your region,” repeating the federal government is working with the provinces and territories in a shared approach to reopening the country.

Trudeau said the government continues to supply the provinces and territories with personal protective equipment (PPE), working to ensure PPE is manufactured in Canada.

Trudeau said the federal government has signed a contract for millions of syringes “once a vaccine is ready,” having also funded four Canadian businesses (in Guelph, Kitchener, Edmonton and Kelowna) to make a breakthrough in developing rapid testing for COVID-19.

Ontario Premier Doug Ford announced, though his government has extended the provincial state of emergency for another 28 days, that economic reopening of the province is not “on hold.”

Ford added health officials are working on a regional reopening model for the province.

The premier said provincial businesses have stepped up to produce thousands of PPE items such as masks, face shields, surgical gloves and gowns for front line workers, calling Ontario “the manufacturing powerhouse of Confederation.”

Ford said it is vital to ensure Ontario “never again is at the mercy of any other country when it comes to personal protective equipment.” 

Public Health Ontario reported 446 new cases of COVID-19 as of Tuesday morning, including another 17 deaths linked to the virus.

That marks the second straight day Ontario health officials are reporting more than 400 new cases of the virus after a week of cases below that number. 

The most recent victims include three people between the ages of 60 and 79, and 12 people over the age of 80.

Public Health Ontario has reported 2,293 deaths attributed to the coronavirus to-date.

The Ministry of Long-Term Care states 1,652 long-term care home residents have died from the coronavirus.

The ministry reports there are 105 long-term care homes with an ongoing outbreak and another 191 homes with resolved outbreaks. According to the ministry there are 1,081 active cases of positive residents and 925 active cases of positive staff.

Ontario has confirmed 28,709 cases of COVID-19 since the start of the pandemic, and is reporting 78 per cent of those cases (22,484) as recovered.

Numbers show the Timmins region accounts for more than half of the 11 virus-related deaths in northern Ontario, with seven fatalities. 

The Porcupine Health Unit (PHU) case fatality rate is 10.8 per cent, higher than the provincial rate of 8.2 per cent.

The Algoma Public Health (APH) area, with 21 confirmed cases (all resolved) and no deaths, is among the lowest in COVID-19 cases and fatalities in northern Ontario. 

Locally, Sault Area Hospital (SAH) announced Tuesday it is planning a gradual, phased-in approach to the resumption of surgical and cardiac procedures and tests.

“The earliest that some services or procedures will be reintroduced will be June 9, 2020,” SAH stated.

Phase 1 of SAH’s recovery plan aims to resume services “at about 60 per cent” of its normal activity, Phase 2 “to approximately 75 per cent" of normal case activity, with a view to reach Phase 2 “by mid to late July.”

Archbishop Anne Germond, metropolitan of Ontario and archbishop of Algoma and Moosonee, in a news release, stated Anglican churches across the ecclesiastical province of Ontario will remain closed for in-person worship services until at least September as a precautionary COVID-19 measure.

ARCH Hospice announced its Run The Great Lakes, an annual fundraiser, will be held virtually this year, using various apps, photos and videos, retitled Can’t Run The Great Lakes. 

Here are the latest COVID-19 numbers from Algoma Public Health, updated at 8:30 a.m., June 2, 2020: 

  • 7,522 tested

  • 21 positive

  • 7,124 negative

  • 377 pending

  • 0 deceased

  • 21 resolved

Total confirmed cases by area of residence: 

  • 17 in Sault Ste. Marie and area, with evidence of community spread

  • 1 in central and east Algoma

  • 3 in Elliot Lake and area

  • 0 in north Algoma