Here is a roundup of the latest developments on the novel coronavirus pandemic in the Greater Toronto Area for Monday:
404 new coronavirus cases, 10 deaths in Ontario as total cases rise to 28,263
Ontario reported 404 new cases of the novel coronavirus on Monday, bringing the provincial total to 28,263.
The death toll has risen to 2,276, as 10 more deaths were reported — the lowest number of deaths recorded within a 24-hour period since April 1.
Meanwhile, 22,153 people have recovered from COVID-19, the disease caused by the virus, which is 78 per cent of cases.
Greater Toronto Area public health units account for 66 per cent of all cases in the province.
Status of cases in Toronto
There are 11,338 cases of COVID-19 in Toronto, which marks an increase of 164 since Sunday.
A total of 8,630 cases are considered resolved.
There are 379 people in hospital with the virus, with 83 in intensive care.
There have been 828 COVID-19-related deaths in the city.
New rules in effect at Toronto Pearson Airport starting June 1
Toronto Pearson Airport says that in order to reduce the spread of COVID-19, new policies including mandatory face masks and the barring of “meeters and greeters” from inside its terminals will take effect starting Monday.
- All passengers and airport employees must wear masks/face coverings at all times.
- Terminal access will be restricted to passengers who are travelling on the same day and airport employees on duty. Meeters and greeters or those dropping friends and loved ones off at the airport are not permitted to enter the terminals.
- When arriving at Toronto Pearson, please exit the terminal buildings immediately upon collecting your bags from the baggage carousel.
- As always, follow in-terminal signage and maintain a safe physical distance of two metres from others whenever possible.
Mississauga reopens some park amenities, off-leash zones
The City of Mississauga reopened some park amenities Monday and off-leash zones.
Officials said tennis courts, picnic shelters, park benches, BMX and skate parks, and seasonal washrooms are among those now accessible to the public.
All leash-free zones are now open, excluding Union Park and Community Common.
Toronto to reopen parks washrooms
Toronto will begin to reopen its approximately 200 parks washrooms this week, officials say.
Officials said the reopening will happen in two phases, with around 50 sites opening by June 6 and the rest by mid-June.
New mobile testing unit for COVID-19 launching in Scarborough
Premier Doug Ford says a new mobile testing unit will be deployed at 1250 Markham Road in Scarborough to test people for COVID-19 starting on Tuesday.
The mobile testing unit will operate from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.
“Please, if you feel like you have symptoms, and you want to go get tested, please go get tested,” Ford said at his daily press briefing Monday afternoon. “And even if you don’t have symptoms, I encourage you to go get tested.”
Ford said they are starting in Scarborough and will work around the Greater Toronto Area.
Tory calls federal municipal funding a good ‘down payment’
Toronto Mayor John Tory says federal funding that was announced on Monday for municipalities is not enough, but a good start.
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said the federal government is rushing out $2.2 billion in expected infrastructure funding to cities struggling with coronavirus-related financial concerns.
Tory previously said Toronto alone is facing a $1.5 billion shortfall this fiscal year and would need to slash services or raise taxes if financial assistance isn’t received.
Attendees at protest march for Regis Korchinski-Paquet should self-monitor for 14 days: doctor
Ontario’s associate chief medical officer of health says everyone who attended a large protest march on Saturday in Toronto for Regis Korchinski-Paquet should self-monitor for symptoms of COVID-19 for 14 days.
While a large majority of protesters appeared to be wearing masks at the event, Dr. Barbara Yaffe said they all should monitor for potential virus symptoms.
It was estimated thousands attended the march, which also called for action to address anti-Black and anti-Indigenous racism.
Ontario makes temporary change to layoff regulations to help businesses
Ontario is temporarily amending its labour laws to help businesses avoid permanently laying off workers and paying out severance, which could send some into bankruptcy during the pandemic.
The government is expected to announce today that it will amend the Employment Standards Act, which requires businesses to terminate employees who have been laid off for 13 weeks. The law then requires the business to pay severance to workers.
The amendment to the law will expire six weeks after the province’s declared state of emergency ends.
— With files from The Canadian Press.
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