Here are the latest developments on the coronavirus pandemic in the Greater Toronto Area for Monday:
Ontario developing plan for ‘fair and equitable’ COVID-19 vaccine distribution
Amid promising news regarding the development of a coronavirus vaccine, Ontario’s health minister says the province is working to create a “fair and equitable” plan for vaccine distribution.
Pfizer said Monday that an early peek at the data on its coronavirus vaccine suggests the shots may be 90 per cent effective at preventing COVID-19, putting the company on track to apply for approval in the U.S. later this month.
“It is absolutely wonderful news that this looks like a vaccine that’s going to be very effective will be available soon,” Health Minister Christine Elliott said regarding the news.
“We do have a group within the Ministry of Health that is making arrangements for when a vaccine is available for distribution, determining who the first group of people who will be receiving the vaccine, and so on.”
Toronto’s Porter Airlines pushes back restart date again to February 2021
Toronto’s Porter Airlines says it is once again pushing back its restart date amid the coronavirus pandemic to Feb. 11, 2021.
The company suspended operations back in March due to COVID-19 and has since changed restart dates numerous times.
“Deferring service until 2021 is not a decision we anticipated having to make as COVID-19 emerged early this year,” said Michael Deluce, president and CEO of Porter Airlines, in a statement Monday.
“Every delay to restarting flights has the greatest effect on our team members, who are eager to do their part to help serve customers under safe conditions.”
Status of cases in the GTA
Ontario reported a total of 1,242 new COVID-19 cases on Monday.
Of those:
- B.C. to ban drug use in all public places in major overhaul of decriminalization
- 3 women diagnosed with HIV after ‘vampire facials’ at unlicensed U.S. spa
- Solar eclipse eye damage: More than 160 cases reported in Ontario, Quebec
- ‘Super lice’ are becoming more resistant to chemical shampoos. What to use instead
- 483 were recorded in Toronto
- 279 were recorded in Peel Region
- 107 were recorded in York Region
- 37 were recorded in Halton Region
- 14 were recorded in Durham Region
Testing, contact tracing and hospital capacity expanded in Peel Region
The Ontario government says it is expanding testing, increasing case and contact management as well as hospital capacity in Peel Region as it is currently the only region in the “red zone” as coronavirus cases continue to surge.
Three new community-based testing centres will be operating as of Tuesday as well as the opening of limited walk-in availability at assessment centres for those who can’t book an appointment online or by phone; a mobile testing site will open in Brampton.
Peel Region Public Health Unit will be given up to 70 more case and contact management staff as well as help from other local public health units with lower case counts.
For hospital capacity, 234 new hospital beds are being added to three hospitals and their health facilities in Peel Region.
Ontario reports 1,242 new COVID-19 cases on Monday
Ontario reported 1,242 new cases of coronavirus on Monday, the second-highest single-day increase, bringing the provincial total to 85,395.
The death toll in the province has risen to 3,245 as 12 more deaths were reported.
More than 28,400 tests were processed in the last 24 hours. Resolved cases increased by 821 from the previous day.
Ontario long-term care homes
According to the Ministry of Long-Term Care, there have been 2,005 deaths reported among residents and patients in long-term care homes across Ontario which is an increase of nine deaths.
There are 96 current outbreaks in homes, an increase of five.
Ontario child care centres and schools
Government figures show there have been a total of 2,707 school-related COVID-19 cases in Ontario — 1,523 among students and 341 among staff (843 individuals were not identified). This is an increase of 79 more cases from the previous day.
There have been a total of 506 confirmed cases within child care centres and homes — an increase of 10 which are all new child cases.
— With files from The Associated Press
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