Here are the latest developments on the coronavirus pandemic in the Greater Toronto Area for Saturday:
Status of cases in Toronto
Toronto Public Health is reporting a total of 20,473 coronavirus cases in the city, which is up by 326.
A total of 16,842 people have recovered, while the city has recorded a total of 1,299 deaths.
There are 85 people in Toronto who are hospitalized with the virus.
Toronto Public Health suspends some contact tracing
Toronto Public Health (TPH) has suspended contact tracing for some coronavirus cases as the city struggles with a “high level” of infections.
Contact tracing, which is when public health units reach out to close contacts of a confirmed coronavirus case to warn them of potential exposure and in turn take appropriate action, is viewed by experts as a key to combatting virus spread.
“As part of the usual course of outbreak management, when cases reach a high level, public health must make a strategic shift and temporarily re-prioritize case and contact management to focus on the highest-risk scenarios,” a TPH spokesperson said in a statement Saturday.
Greater Toronto Hockey League postpones activities
The Greater Toronto Hockey League (GTHL) has announced that it’s postponing “all sanctioned activities within its jurisdiction” until at least Jan. 1.
“The decision comes as a result of a rapid rise in the infection rate in the Greater Toronto Area and a statement from Toronto’s medical officer of health, Eileen de Villa, calling on the provincial government to prohibit indoor sports activities,” a GTHL statement read.
“Sanctioned activities include all on-ice and off-ice activities for all levels of minor hockey, including house league and competitive hockey in Markham, Mississauga, Toronto and Vaughan.”
New public health rules in effect in Toronto, Peel Region
New public health rules that Premier Doug Ford announced on Friday are now in place in Toronto and Peel Region.
Bars, restaurants and nightclubs are now limited to a capacity of 100 people under provincial regulations and no more than six people will be allowed at each table. Each customer’s contact information must also be collected for contact tracing.
Banquet halls and event spaces will be limited to a capacity of 50 people, also with no more than six people per table.
Gyms will also need to be limited to 50 people and classes can include no more than 10.
Toronto already implemented its own new measures earlier this week — including a cap of 75 people in restaurants and bars, as well as limiting patrons at tables to six, so the new provincial measures won’t result in changes for those establishments in the city.
ActiveTO continues
Road closures are in place again this weekend in Toronto as part of ActiveTO.
The program sees roads closed to motorists in a bid to give people more room when they move around the city amid the pandemic.
Affected streets include Lake Shore Boulevard and Bayview Avenue. Closures will be lifted at 11 p.m. Sunday.
Earlier this week, Mayor John Tory announced that ActiveTO would be extended into October.
Ontario reports 653 cases
Ontario reported 653 cases of the novel coronavirus on Saturday, bringing the total number of cases in the province to 53,633.
“Sixty-four per cent of today’s cases are in people under the age of 40. There are 435 more resolved cases,” Health Minister Christine Elliott said.
In a statement sent to Global News, Toronto Public Health said nine of the cases reported Saturday are from the spring or summer, meaning a total of 644 cases are recent.
Elliott also said the province completed nearly 46,300 additional tests, which is a single-day record.
A total of 41 deaths were reported on Saturday, 37 of which are from the spring or summer and part of the data remediation.