A look at the local numbers …
Public Health Sudbury is reporting six new cases of COVID-19, five in the Greater Sudbury area and one in the Sudbury District.
Considering resolved cases there are 35 active cases in the agency’s jurisdiction.
Health Sciences North reports 14 admitted cases, three with positive results and 11 waiting for test results.
Of the three, two individuals are in intensive care.
Algoma Public Health is reporting no new cases of COVID-19.
Considering resolved cases there are two active cases in the Algoma District.
Of the two, one individual from the district is currently hospitalized.
Reopening early
Most Ontarians will likely be able to enjoy more freedom from COVID-19 restrictions a few days earlier than expected.
Several reports say the Ford cabinet has approved movinto Stage Two of the reopening plan next Wednesday…..two days earlier than forecast, and just in time for Canada Day.
Stage Two would see barber shops and hair salons allowed to reopen, increased capacity for non-essential businesses and patio restaurant service, and higher limits for outdoor gatherings.
However, local health units could decide to keep their regions in Stage One, if infection numbers remain high.
Opioid deaths
The Public Health Agency of Canada says opioid overdose deaths skyrocketed across the country last year, as the pandemic set in.
The agency is reporting more than 62-hundred deaths last year…..an increase of 60 per cent over 2019.
It says the numbers spiked higher during the last three months of 2020, as stricter pandemic restrictions came into effect.
The agency says the limits isolated many substance abusers……and the closure of Canada’s borders mean many traffickers looked to cut their product with potentially dangerous additives.
Tourism incentives
A provincial government task force says discount cards and ad campaigns should be used to promote travel within Ontario.
Its report says the measures are needed to jump-start the tourism industry in the province, following the devastating impact of the COVID-19 pandemic.
The task force suggests re-branding 2021 as the “Year of the Staycation,” to encourage Ontarians to explore their own province, rather than go elsewhere.
