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No new cases of COVID-19 in region, Ontario announces rise in cases Canadian Health Minister urges physical distancing amid rise in young adult infections NAHNDA GARLOW
nahnda@tworowtimes.com
TWO ROW TIMES
BRANTFORD — No new coronavirus infections have been reported in the Brantford-Brant and Six Nations areas in the last week, despite concerns of employees at major retailers in the area having contracted the virus. “We have received no further positives from customers or employees at any of the workplace-related cases announced last week. There was no evidence of transmission within these workplaces,” said Dr. Elizabeth Urbantke, Acting Medical Officer of Health at the Brant County Health Unit. “Again, with more businesses and services opening up and resuming more typical methods of service, these kinds of cases are expected. What will dictate our success is ensuring that measures
are in place to contain any cases that do occur and that businesses and customers remain vigilant of public health guidance.” Employees at WalMart, Lowe’s, Ferrerro and Adidas all reported cases last week, in addition to an outbreak at Briarwood Gardens Long Term Care and Retirement Home. Urbantke says the outbreak at Briarwood led to all 223 staff and residents undergoing testing and no additional positive cases were found. The City of Brantford saw it’s first weekend of by-law enforced mask wearing in public. “These moves will go a long way in ensuring the safe re-opening of businesses and services in our community. With the re-opening of more aspects of society, the number of people coming into contact with one another will increase, as will the difficulty
Drive By Graduations STAFF REPORT
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519-445-0088 PM42686517
OHSWEKEN — A community group has organized for a Community Drive-By Graduation ceremony for all Grade 8 & 12 students for 2020. The event will take place at the Gathering Place Parking Lot on July 25 at 2:00 p.m. for all students who are missing out on their schools
graduation events due to the pandemic restrictions in place. Students who want to participate do not need to pre-register, just arrive at The Gathering Place by 1:00 p.m. in their prom wear or traditional outfits and schools will be identified by signs at the parking lot. A parade will follow. Members of the community are welcome to attend to celebrate and honour all graduates.
to properly maintain physical distancing. Face coverings are a safe, evidence-based tool for us to use in addition to physical distancing and frequent hand washing,” said Urbantke. Meanwhile, new outbreaks of COVID-19 among young adults across the country are sparking concern about the impact these clusters of new cases could have on the ongoing easing of pandemic restrictions. Ontario is reporting its largest daily number of confirmed COVID-19 infections since the end of June with 203 new cases Tuesday, prompting Ontario Health Minister Christine Elliott to urge citizens to follow physical distancing rules to stop the concerning trend. Canada's deputy chief public health officer, Dr. Howard Njoo, said the uptick in new cases nationally is giving public health authorities cause for concern.
Canada's daily new case numbers had slowed to an average of about 300 new cases a day, but this has increased to an average of 460 new cases per day for the last four days. The majority of the newly infected are young adults, many of whom have contracted the novel coronavirus by going to bars, restaurants and attending indoor parties, Njoo told reporters Tuesday at a briefing in Ottawa. ``I think everyone's been tired after spending the winter cooped up,'' he said. ``And now with the nicer weather and the summer I think people just want to get out, so I think there is a fatigue factor in terms of trying to maintain all of those good public health measures.'' Njoo said he believes there is an ``invincibility factor'' also playing into the outbreaks among
young people, which is being fanned by scientific evidence emerging that shows youth who contract COVID-19 are less likely to become seriously ill. ``I think at a certain age you think you can get away with anything ... That's where I think the challenge is, because even if they have only mild symptoms or they are asymptomatic, the fact is they're part of our society.'' Ontario Premier Doug Ford said he was especially concerned by data showing 57 per cent of Tuesday's cases in his province were in people aged 39 or younger and that some of the outbreaks have been linked to people attending indoor parties. ``I just ask people to hold off on these parties, I don't know why everyone wants to party so bad but — enough. We have to keep this in control and we will.''
owning one of them are open until mid-July,” said KSP Chief Jason Henry in a community update on June 30. Occupancy of the two 3-bedroom and two 4-bedroom homes will be “a rent-to-own scenario,” Chief Henry said, with the families owning the home and land after 15 years. The community approached the Habitat group about building the
homes, said Habitat CEO David Waters. “Our method of building is less expensive than a traditional build,” said Waters, because Habitat relies on volunteers in home-building and renovating projects for families who may not be able to secure a traditional mortgage, adding that this idea seemed to be a good fit.
New homes for Kettle/Stony Point
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KETTLE/STONY POINT — Four new homes will be built in the community of Chippewas of Kettle and Stony Point (KSP) First Nation in a new partnership with the Habitat for Humanity organization for Sarnia and Lambton County. “Applications for families interested in