COVID – Kingston

There are now 34 confirmed cases of COVID-19 in the Kingston, Frontenac, Lennox and Addington Region and two of those cases involved health care workers.  There were 17 confirmed cases reported on Friday, March 27.

The two health care workers with confirmed cases of the coronavirus work at Providence Care Hospital.

Hospital President and CEO Cathy Szabo says they have not entered the hospital since developing symptoms and all staff and patients who had close contact with them have been placed on quarantine to monitor their symptoms.

Another case involves a medical assistant who is the office manager at the Verona Medical Clinic.

Amanda Antoine has identified herself as the person who tested positive last week.  The clinic has closed and is offering to virtual care over the phone and online. Antoine identified herself and has commented on the situation on the Clinic’s Facebook page.

 

Moore – Low Risk

KFL&A Medical Officer of Health, Dr. Kieran Moore, says the risk factor for this region remains low but the next few weeks are a very critical time

Moore says keeping the risk low will reduce the burden on the health care system.

He is emphasizing the importance of self-isolation and social distancing to help “flatten the curve”.

 

COVID – Ford

Premier Doug Ford says medical supply lines will be “seriously challenged” if there is a massive surge of people into hospitals in the next two weeks.

The Premier has extended the state of emergency in Ontario for at least another two weeks.  It was first imposed on March 17th and was due to expire today. Ford says it will be re-evaluated every two weeks.

 

COVID – Fed Subsidy

Federal Finance Minister Bill Morneau is expected to fill in the finer details of Ottawa’s wage subsidy program today. Prime Minister Justin Trudeau sketched the outline yesterday, saying it would cover all businesses, non-profits and charities where revenue has dropped by at least 30 per cent because of the COVID-19 pandemic.  Trudeau also noted that the government will cover 75 per cent of salary on the first 58-thousand-700 dollars a person earns, up to about 847-dollars a week.

 

South Frontenac

South Frontenac Township has closed all of its playgrounds and park amenities.

It says residents can continue to walk through open park spaces and along trails, but must maintain physical distance from others of approximately 2 metres or 6 ft.

 

Attempted Murder

Three people are facing multiple charges…including attempted murder following a shooting on Rideau Street in Kingston last summer.

The victim didn’t go to hospital for treatment or report the shooting.

33-year-old Amanda Robert of Kingston was arrested last June.

On Friday, Kingston police arrested 34-year-old Gregory Beasly, of Toronto, and 29-year-old Kristopher Jerome, of Aurora.

 

Chinese Workers – Safety

Kingston Fire and Rescue has broken its silence over serious and life-threatening conditions at five single family homes being used to house up to 88 Chinese labourers.

It says all the proper procedures were followed and the homes have been brought up to the required safety standards after they were originally inspected early last summer.

The labourers from China had been working on construction of the infant formula factory in the city’s west end industrial park.

 

Kingston Police – Disturbance

A 36-year-old man has been charged with mischief following a disturbance at Kingston Police headquarters.

Police say the man became agitated and began banging on the glass partition at the front desk after arriving to file a complaint on Saturday night.  They say he then began kicking a fire control panel in the front vestibule — activating an alarm and lights throughout the station as he fled.  Police say when officers arrested him a short distance away, he tried to resist and began yelling that he’d have them fired for stealing his illegal drugs.

 

Speeders

Lennox and Addington County OPP say a total of 11 drivers were charged with stunt driving on the 401 over the course of the weekend.  The highest recorded speed was 209 kilometres per hour.

All of the drivers face a court date in Napanee on stunt driving charges…have had their licenses suspended for seven days and their vehicles impounded for a week.

 

Food Donations

Queen’s University is increasing the amount unused food it gives to organizations in Kingston feeding people in need.

Queen’s says it has donated food valued at $11,000 to local shelters and food banks since March 20th.

The university says giving back to the community is a priority right now.

 

Grateful Tree

There are all kinds of good things being done to lift people’s spirits during the pandemic.  Musicians and entertainers are performing during live streams online…and people are spreading the love during these exceptional times.

You may have seen people posting this on Facebook.

There is a Grateful Tree in the Westwoods area of Kingston where people can post messages about what they are grateful for on hearts and then put them on the tree.

 

Perry Farm – Food Sharing

Perry Farm on Yarker Road has put a three-door stainless steel fridge on its property near Boundary Road so the community can share food during the COVID-19 pandemic.

It isn’t plugged in – but the family wants to make it available for people to drop off food for others and pick up food if needed.

Mason Perry has offered to donate farm fresh eggs and starting today there will be a pie in the fridge every day.  The pie today was blueberry.

Details are posted on the Yarker is Awesome Facebook page.