Here is a roundup of the latest developments on the coronavirus pandemic in the Greater Toronto Area for Friday:
477 new coronavirus cases, 63 deaths in Ontario as total case number rises to 19,598
Ontario reported 477 new cases of the novel coronavirus on Friday, bringing the provincial total to 19,598 cases.
The death toll has risen to 1,540, as 63 more deaths were reported.
Meanwhile, 13,990 people have recovered from COVID-19, the disease caused by the virus, which is 71.4 per cent of cases.
Greater Toronto Area public health units account for 61.3 per cent of all cases in the province.
Status of COVID-19 cases in Toronto
According to the most recent data on the Toronto Public Health (TPH) website Friday evening, there were 1,865 active cases and 4,717 resolved cases of COVID-19. TPH also reported 532 people died after contracting the virus.
Of the 421 residents currently in hospital, 104 were being treated in ICU.
24 employees at Vaughan dairy facility test positive for coronavirus, 1 dead: public health
York Region Public Health staff say a total of 24 employees at a dairy facility in Vaughan have tested positive for coronavirus and one of those workers has died.
According to a public health notice issued on Friday, those affected work at Saputo Dairy Products Canada on Royal Group Crescent near Highways 427 and 7.
The notice said six of the 24 people diagnosed with COVID-19, including the person who died, live in York Region.
READ MORE: 1 dead and 24 test positive for coronavirus at dairy facility in Vaughan, public health says
Toronto PSW died after testing positive for coronavirus, union says
The union representing staff at Access Independent Living Services in Toronto says a personal support worker (PSW) has died after testing positive for coronavirus, calling his case a “preventable workplace exposure to COVID-19.”
“This member worked for more than 30 years providing care for those in need. He’ll be truly be missed,” Jerry Dias, president of Unifor, said in a statement Thursday evening while extending his condolences.
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The union identified the PSW as 61-year-old Leonard Rodriguez. The statement said Rodriguez was sent home on April 6 due to “a possible COVID-19 exposure” and told to self-isolate by Toronto Public Health.
Metrolinx staff to wear masks
Beginning next week, Metrolinx staff will be wearing face coverings while on the job.
“We’ve distributed 15,000 reusable, washable cloth face coverings to our staff and more are coming,” Metrolinx spokesperson Anne Marie Aikins said in an email.
“We’ve also distributed face shields and gloves as well, and have health screening at key locations before staff begin work.”
Five Metrolinx employees have tested positive for COVID-19 since the outbreak began, while another four are considered to have probable cases, Aikins said.
“All are recovering or fully recovered at home thankfully,” she added.
Raptors to resume limited training as Ontario eases sports restrictions
The Toronto Raptors are set to allow players access to the OVO Athletic Centre next week for practice, albeit in a limited fashion.
Just one player will be allowed in the building at any given time and will be required to wear a mask at all times, except when on the court.
The announcement came as Ontario eased restrictions for professional sports teams, allowing them to open some facilities starting on Friday.
Lisa MacLeod, Ontario’s Minister of Heritage, Sport, Tourism and Culture Industries, said the training facilities can reopen, provided the leagues have health and safety protocols in response to COVID-19.
Ford admits he visited his Muskoka cottage
Premier Doug Ford admitted on Friday that he briefly visited his cottage over the Easter weekend, despite telling Ontarians to stay home.
Ford said he went up to his Muskoka cottage early Easter morning to check the plumbing.
“It was weighing on me because a couple years ago we had burst pipes — a terrible mess, thousands of dollars of damage, and that night I was thinking about it,” Ford said.
He said he left for the cottage at 6:30 a.m., checked the plumbing, and was back at home before noon.
Ford says he’s facing pressure to open Ontario’s golf courses
Ontario Premier Doug Ford says he’s getting lobbied hard to allow golf courses to open, but says the decision will ultimately be based on advice from the province’s medical officials.
“I have a lot of friends that are golfers and they’re lobbying hard for this,” Ford said.
“I’m going to give you all the reasons I’m getting lobbied: they told me they won’t take carts, they’ll walk; they have this new little mechanism that you don’t have to touch the flag when you hit the hole, the ball will pop out; and they’ll be apart from each other.”
Garden centres fully reopen
Garden centres in Ontario were allowed to fully reopen on Friday as hardware stores prepare to do the same on Saturday.
On Wednesday, the Ford government announced an easing of restrictions, allowing garden centres to fully reopen after previously only allowing curbside pickup.
Meanwhile, storefront retail shops will be allowed to open for curbside pickup on Monday.
READ MORE: Ontario announces curbside pickup for storefront retail, full reopening of garden and hardware shops
— With files from The Canadian Press
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