Good morning, Greater Sudbury.
Here are some stories to start your day.
We've got a dedicated page of the latest COVID-19 news and resources:
Sudbury.com rolled out a dedicated COVID-19 page on our website Monday morning. On it, you'll find the latest in local COVID-19 news and developments, as well as a national feed so you can keep abreast of the latest pandemic news across the country. The page also has resources and information on signs and symptoms, self-isolation and more. Look for the "The latest on COVID-19" link at the top of the Sudbury.com homepage. Or click here to go to the page directly.
HSN to screen all visitors, restrict public access beginning Tuesday:
Health Sciences North has made additional changes to its operating policies in response to the novel coronavirus, COVID-19. As of March 17, all patients and visitors attending the Ramsey Lake Health Centre and the Kirkwood sites will be screened according to their symptoms and recent travel history. In addition, public access to the Ramsey Lake Health Centre will be limited to the following entrances between 6 a.m. and 10 p.m.: Main entrance of the hospital, Lougheed Tower (South entrance, facing the Public Health building), Cancer Centre main entrance , Rehabilitation entrance (access ramp facing the Travel Way Inn) from 6 a.m. to 6 p.m. All other entrances, including that for Kirkwood Place, will be closed aside from the Emergency Department, which will remain open for patients 24-hours a day.
City of Greater Sudbury closes arenas, community centres, pools to prevent spread of COVID-19:
The City of Greater Sudbury is suspending public programs and temporarily closing several public facilities to promote social distancing and limit the potential spread of COVID-19 in the community. Mayor Brian Bigger made the announcement in a live stream media conference this afternoon. He said while he sympathizes with residents of Greater Sudbury affected by the closures, the city has to reduce the stress on health-care services that are working to prevent the spread of the virus. “This decision was not made lightly,” Bigger said. "But we need to follow the expert advice of public health. They are the experts who have been tested on local, provincial and national levels and they know best what we need to do as a city to minimize the options for this virus to spread." Impacted programs and facilities can be found here.
Sutcliffe: It's time for all Sudburians to start practicing 'social distancing' to fight COVID-19:
Greater Sudbury's medical officer of health said residents need to take COVID-19 seriously. Dr. Penny Sutcliffe said the world is in a time of uncertainty with COVID-19, and reacting to it isn't a cookie-cutter, black-and-white or paint-by-numbers situation. There is no textbook reaction, because the book hasn't been written, she said. “Strong action early on, even though it will cause some pain, is what we need to ensure we aren't in the same situation as those countries in Europe that are being overwhelmed by this disease,” Sutcliffe said. The novel coronavirus outbreak began in Wuhan, China, in late December, and has since sickened at least 174,615 people worldwide, including hundreds in the United States, and killed thousands, primarily in mainland China and Italy, according to data from Johns Hopkins. At least 77,600 people have already recovered. In Greater Sudbury, as of 10 a.m. on March 16, 132 tests have been conducted, two testing postive, with 65 testing negative, leaving another 65 results still to come. More on this story here.
Family pets perish in early morning Val Caron fire:
Greater Sudbury Fire Services responded to an early morning house fire in Val Caron today. Acting Deputy Fire Chief Jesse Oshell said the fire was determined not to be suspicious. It caused about $200,000 damage to the home. None of the human members of the household were injured. Unfortunately, the family lost three pets in the fire, a dog and two cats. Four stations responded to the call for service. GSFS stresses the importance of having working smoke alarms and CO2 detectors in every home.
Dental offices urged to suspend all non-emergency services:
If you have a dental or hygienist's appointment scheduled for this week, you might want to call your dentist's office to see if that's still going ahead. Due to COVID-19 concerns, the Royal College of Dental Surgeons sent out a memo over the weekend to its members, strongly recommending “that all non-essential and elective dental services should be suspended immediately.” Emergency treatment should continue, the college said. The college will revisit this recommendation in the first week of April. “We have received many calls over the past 24 hours from dentists and hygienists concerned about keeping dental practices open and putting their patients, communities and staff at risk,” said the memo. “In addition, many health-care providers in community settings have not been able to secure a reasonable supply of PPE that would be required to actively treat COVID-19 cases. “These factors, along with a spike in new cases and the call for effective social distancing, make it clear that bold action is required.”
Gas prices drop below $1:
Gas prices across Greater Sudbury are dropping below $1 a litre, according to OntarioGasPrices.com. The Mobil station on Lorne Street and the Petro-Canada station on Lorne Street were both listed at 99.0 cents/litre on Monday. The Mobil station on Lasalle and the Pioneer station on Falconbridge Road were listed at 99.6 cents/litre. At least six other gas stations were priced at 99.9 cents/litre. The average cost for gas in Ontario is 86.5 cents/litre.
COVID-19 cancellations and closures: Send yours to [email protected]:
With concerns over COVID-19 locally, we're putting together a list of related cancellations and closures. Email them to [email protected]. You can stay up-to-day with the full list of closures and cancellations here.
Video: Tommy and his mommy:
With schools and daycares closed due to COVID-19 concerns, Sudbury.com new media reporter Heather Green-Oliver is working from home as she cares for her five-year-old son, Thomas. As Green-Oliver tends to do, she's gotten creative, and is livestreaming her adventures with Tommy to the Sudbury.com Facebook page each weekday at 10 a.m. Check out Monday's video here and tune in daily at 10 a.m.
Tuesday Weather:
Flurries in the forecast today with up to 2 cm falling. Mainly cloudy throughout the day with the high sitting at 2. Overcast into the evning with a 40 per cent chance of flurries. The low will drop to -10 overnight, feeling like -14 with the wind chill. For current weather conditions, short-term and long-term forecasts visit Sudbury.com's weather page at www.sudbury.com/weather.
