Here are the latest developments on the coronavirus pandemic in the Greater Toronto Area for Monday:
Status of COVID-19 cases in Toronto
According to the most recent data on the Toronto Public Health (TPH) website Monday evening, there were 301 new confirmed and probable cases of COVID-19 since the day before. There were 17,246 resolved cases of COVID-19 as of Monday. TPH also reported 1,305 residents in Toronto, to date, have died after contracting the virus.
The City reported there are currently 77 residents in Toronto hospitals.
8 COVID-19 cases reported at Etobicoke high school
The Toronto District School Board reports eight Martingrove Collegiate Institute students who attended “the same community event” on Sept. 19 have now tested positive for coronavirus.
“Toronto Public Health has confirmed there is still no evidence of any in-school transmission of the virus,” principal Randy Palermo wrote in a letter to parents on Monday.
“This fact seems to indicate that the protocols we have in place, and the precautions students and staff members are taking, are working to help avoid the spreading of the virus in the school.”
Palermo’s letter said three of the students tested positive over the weekend.
North York catholic school closed due to positive COVID-19 case
A catholic school in North York says will be closed the week of Oct. 5 due to a positive case for COVID-19 among its staff members.
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The Toronto Catholic District School Board said St. Charles Catholic School will be closed from Monday to Friday “out of an abundance of caution.”
New long-term care home restrictions in Toronto, Peel Region
The Ontario government announced that as of Wednesday, general visitors will not be allowed into facilities in Toronto and Peel Region.
Under the regulation, only essential visitors (which includes one caregiver for each resident) will be permitted inside.
Long-term care homes with outbreaks might have enhanced prevention measures. Click here for a list of those facilities.
Employee at North York Ikea tests positive
An employee at a North York Ikea has tested positive for coronavirus.
In a statement, the company said they learned that the worker tested positive on Oct. 1.
The employee at the store, located near Leslie Street and Sheppard Avenue, on Sept. 20.
“We have identified and notified any co-workers who may have been in close contact with the individual and have taken appropriate steps to institute compulsory self-isolation, in cooperation with health officials,” the statement read.
“Out of an abundance of caution, we have notified all customers who may have come into contact with the co-worker. We continue to follow all Toronto Public Health recommendations on notice.”
The company said enhanced cleaning has already been done in affected areas and added that health and safety measures are in place at the store.
Doug Ford rejects calls to close indoor dining
Ontario Premier Doug Ford is rejecting calls for indoor dining to be ordered closed at restaurants in some areas of the province amid rising coronavirus cases, saying there isn’t enough evidence to make such a decision.
“We need the data and I always make a judgment (that’s) evidence-based,” Ford said during a press conference Monday.
“For any region that’s seeing a spike, be it Ottawa, Toronto … York and Peel, and if there’s a request to shut down restaurants, I have to sit back and look at evidence.”
Ontario reports 615 cases, 5 deaths
Ontario reported 615 cases of the novel coronavirus on Monday, bringing the total number of cases in the province to 54,814.
“Locally, there are 289 new cases in Toronto, 88 in Peel and 81 in Ottawa,” Health Minister Christine Elliott said on Twitter.
“Fifty-eight per cent of today’s cases are in people under the age of 40. There are 541 more resolved cases.”
Elliott said the province completed nearly 38,200 additional tests.
Five more deaths were also reported on Monday, bringing the provincial death toll to 2,980.
Ontario child-care centres and schools
Government figures show there have been a total of 539 school-related COVID-19 cases in Ontario. This is an increase of 56 more cases from the previous day.
The COVID-19 cases are currently from 335 out of 4,828 schools in the province.
Three schools in Ontario are currently closed as a result of positive cases.
There have been a total of 170 confirmed cases within child-care centres and homes — an increase of 14 since Sunday.
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