Restrictions have tightened for Chapleau and area.
As of today, the Public Health Sudbury and Districts region - including Chapleau - has moved from the "Orange-Restrict" category of Ontario's tiered restrictions framework to the tougher "Red-Control" level.
Under this level, gathering limits are cut to five people indoors and 25 outdoors - though meeting and event spaces can host ten indoors or 25 outdoors - while restaurants and bars are limited to only ten patrons at a time with no more than four seated together, and retail stores can only have half capacity, or 75 percent for grocery stores, convenience stores, and pharmacies.
It also means a limit of ten people in indoor recreation areas with weights and exercise machines, ten for all indoor sports and recreation classes, and 25 for outdoor classes, with no spectators - team sports are also prohibited except for training with no contact or even coming within two metres of each other, and a 90-minute limit for participating in a sport.
Despite those restrictions, Chapleau's AW Moore Arena is remaining open, just requiring the tighter rules to be followed.
The health unit reported 52 new cases over the weekend - one in an unspecified Sudbury District community, the rest in Greater Sudbury - leaving it with 173 "active" - it's also reporting several more cases screened positive for "variants of concern", bringing that total to 64.
There is some good news: the health unit's opened pre-registration for vaccination for adults 80 and older and individuals who receive chronic home care services - pre-registering means the individuals will be contacted directly to book an appointment when possible.
It does note vaccine supply's limited, with lotteries to be held to match vaccine recipients to available doses.