Today, the provincial government has released updated modelling, with public health officials suggesting that community spread of the virus may be peaking earlier than originally expected and Ontario may be trending towards a best case scenario. Read more about the announcement here and watch the briefing here.
The Associate Chief Medical officer emphasized that physical distancing and other measures are working, but warned that they will likely need to remain in place for the foreseeable future.
Facebook Live Join us
tomorrow evening for our 4th Facebook live session. We're looking forward to hearing from you and answering your questions. Tune in at facebook.com/wearepracticalnurses
Registration Reminder: WeRPN Webinar Have you been feeling overwhelmed, worried or stressed? You are not alone! We know nurses are facing immense pressure during COVID-19 and we are here to support you. Please consider joining a live and interactive webinar on Building Resilience, led by Julia Scott and Beth High. Spaces are filling up quickly, click on your preferred date below to register and secure your spot (please choose only one): Friday, April 24th at 11
am
We encourage RPNs looking for employment opportunities to sign up on all the platforms noted above.
Key Provincial Updates and Resources for Health Professionals Over the weekend, the Ontario Government announced a $20 million investment to advance medical research and develop tools and resources to combat COVID-19 and other infectious diseases through the Ontario COVID-19 Rapid Research Fund.
A memo to hospitals on supporting staff redeployment to long-term care settings was issued on friday.
All organizations involved in testing patients for COVID-19 are encouraged to review the guidelines for testing including Specimen Collection and Handling. Friday's Command Table summary is available here.
Key Federal Updates This weekend, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said Canada and the United States have struck a deal to extend current border restrictions between the two countries by an additional 30 days.
The federal government pledged $306 million to Indigenous businesses struggling amid the COVID-19 pandemic, in the form of interest free loans and non-repayable contributions. The
federal government also announced it is taking steps to protect Canada and Canadian businesses by tightening the rules around foreign takeovers during the COVID-19 pandemic. Foreign entities investing in any Canadian businesses that deal with public health or the provision of critical goods and services will be subject to increased scrutiny. For more information, we encourage you to visit theGovernment of Canada website.
Daily Reports As of 10:30AM today, Ontario reported 11,184 confirmed cases (increase of 606), 5,515 resolved cases, 584 deaths and 3,799 currently under
investigation with lab results pending.
The Ministry is now also reporting that 802 patients are hospitalized with COVID-19, 247 are in ICU and 193 are vented. To view these additional details: click here Click Hereto read the latest Ministry of Health Daily Report **Please note, these reports are intended for health professionals only and we request that you not share this with
the public.
World Health Organization Situation Reports are also available here
In the News For an interactive map tracking all cases across Canada and internationally, click here
Below are some key stories from today that may be of interest to our members:
We will continue to monitor this situation and keep you updated as more information becomes available. Thank you for the important work that you're doing and the sacrifices you're making to keep Ontarians safe. We appreciate everything that you're doing each and every day.
Should you have any questions or concerns, please contact Tiff Blair at tblair@werpn.com
Sincerely,
WeRPN Team
WeRPN 5025 Orbitor Drive Building 5, Suite 200 Mississauga, Ontario L4W 4Y5
Share