TORONTO — Canada’s most populous city has released a map of neighbourhoods hardest hit by COVID-19.
Toronto’s chief medical officer of health says COVID-19 is present in every neighbourhood, but the northwest and northeast parts of the city have the highest number of infections.
Dr. Eileen de Villa notes that the map represents where patients live, not necessarily where they caught the virus.
She says it’s important to note that a neighbourhood having more cases of COVID-19 does not mean there’s a higher risk of infection there.
De Villa says the data should be used to encourage proactive testing in certain neighbourhoods and promote education, rather than stigmatizing the regions.
The city is also introducing a new measure to promote physical distancing at Trinity Bellwoods Park, where thousands of people gathered on Saturday to the consternation of many: white circles will be painted on the ground to ensure people are keeping a proper distance.
Toronto Public Health says the city has recorded 10,525 cases of COVID-19, and 7,814 of those patients have recovered.
It says another 780 people with the virus have died.