Morning News – February 28th

Feb 28, 2022 at 08:56

Weather:

• Today – Mainly cloudy. 40 percent chance of flurries late this afternoon. Wind up to 15 km/h. High minus 9. Wind chill minus 33 this morning and minus 12 this afternoon. Risk of frostbite. UV index 2 or low.
• Tonight = Snow. Amount 5 cm. Wind up to 15 km/h. Low minus 13. Wind chill near minus 16.

COVID-19 Statistics:

	Current	Previous	Change from previous report
Confirmed cases	5,111	5,082	29
Active cases	610(2)	631(3)	-21
Currently hospitalized	15	15	0
Resolved	4,501	4,451	50
Deceased	31	31	0
Tested	238,201	237,867	334
Close contact of a confirmed case	1,585	1,583	2
Outbreak related	630	625	5
Under Investigation	71	76	-5
Unknown Source of Infection	2,825	2,798	27	Evidence of Community Spread	Recent Cases
Central & East Algoma	517	517	0	Yes	Yes
Elliot Lake & Area	194	193	1	Yes	Yes
North Algoma	211	208	3	Yes	Yes
Sault Ste. Marie & Area	4,189	4,164	25	Yes	Yes

 

News Tidbits:

• The NDP is putting forth a motion today at Queen’s park that will focus on rural and small town hospitals and surgeries. The motion calls for a $1.3-billion investment — a number pegged by the independent Financial Accountability Office of Ontario — to clear the backlog of surgeries people are waiting for. It also includes a strategy and funding to meet broader health care needs in rural and small town Ontario, and support for local hospitals and community clinics with a health care hiring strategy that includes the repeal of Bill 124, Ford’s low-wage bill.
• The Ontario government is providing $1 million through the Northern Ontario Heritage Fund Corporation (NOHFC) to support the expansion of Avery Construction Ltd. in Sault Ste. Marie. The funding will be used to purchase a portable asphalt plant, allowing the company to provide a more environmentally sound asphalt for use on local road projects, as well as for paving parking lots, pathways and driveways.

Announcements:

• Premier Doug Ford will be joined by Monte McNaughton, Minister of Labour, Training and Skills Development, to make an announcement at 11 a.m. in Toronto.