Coronavirus: Latest developments in the Greater Toronto Area on Oct. 6

Here are the latest developments on the coronavirus pandemic in the Greater Toronto Area for Tuesday:

Status of COVID-19 cases in Toronto

According to the most recent data on the Toronto Public Health (TPH) website Tuesday evening, there were 217 new confirmed and probable cases of COVID-19 since the day before. There were 17,462 resolved cases of COVID-19 as of Tuesday. TPH also reported 1,307 residents in Toronto, to date, have died after contracting the virus.

The City reported there are currently 83 residents in Toronto hospitals.

TDSB reallocating teacher complements at hundreds of schools

The Toronto District School Board is reporting hundreds of schools will see changes in the complement of teachers due to an increase in demand in online learning.

TDSB officials said 136 schools won’t see any change, but 161 schools will lose up to one in-class teaching position and 154 schools will lose between 1.5 and four in-class teaching positions. Nine schools will lose more than four in-class teaching positions.

A TDSB spokesperson told Global News that while some classes could see an increase in the number of students, those classes would remain at or under the caps set in accordance with health and safety guidelines.

The spokesperson didn’t have an exact number of classrooms or students affected, adding some occasional teachers will be replaced by permanent teachers.

In total, the spokesperson said 570 teachers will shift to provide online instruction from in-class instruction.

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Toronto school reopens after being temporarily closed due to COVID-19 outbreak

An elementary school in Scarborough that was temporarily closed for one week after a coronavirus outbreak has reopened to students and staff.

Mason Road JPS was closed on Monday, Sept. 28 after three teachers and one student tested positive for the virus.

The school reopened on Tuesday.

2 charged by Toronto police for allegedly violating Quarantine Act after attending non-mask rally

Toronto police say they have charged a man and woman after both allegedly broke the federal Quarantine Act by attending a non-mask-wearing rally while they should have been quarantining.

Police said both were ordered to quarantine for 14 days when they re-entered Canada through Toronto Pearson International Airport after travelling abroad.

On Monday, 37-year-old Christopher Saccoccia, also known as Chris Sky, and 34-year-old Jennifer Saccoccia were both charged with failure to comply with an order prohibiting or subjecting to any condition the entry into Canada.

Ontario reports 548 new coronavirus cases, 7 deaths

Ontario is reporting 548 new cases of the novel coronavirus on Tuesday, bringing the provincial total to 55,362.

According to Tuesday’s provincial report, 201 new cases were recorded in Toronto, 90 in Peel Region, 62 in Ottawa, 56 in York Region and 30 in Halton Region.

The death toll in the province has risen to 2,987 as seven more deaths were reported.

More than 42,000 tests in the last 24 hours. Resolved cases increased by 546 from the previous day.

Ontario child care centres and schools

Meanwhile, government figures show there have been a total of 611 school-related COVID-19 cases in Ontario — 333 among students and 102 among staff (176 individuals were not identified). This is an increase of 74 more cases from the previous day.

The COVID-19 cases are currently from 347 out of 4,828 schools in the province.

Two schools in Ontario are currently closed as a result of positive cases, the government indicated.

There have been a total of 187 confirmed cases within child care centres and homes — an increase of 17 more since the previous day.

Ontario long-term care homes

According to the Ministry of Long-Term Care, there have been 1,875 deaths reported among residents and patients in long-term care homes across Ontario, which is an increase of two deaths from the previous day. Eight health-care workers and staff in long-term care homes have died.

There are 51 current outbreaks in homes, an increase of one.

The ministry also indicated there are currently 136 active cases among long-term care residents and 165 active cases among staff, up by 12 and seven cases respectively.

Appointment based COVID-19 testing system begins in Ontario

Ontario will begin COVID-19 testing by appointment only Tuesday morning.

Premier Doug Ford has said the shift to the new system was done to prepare the province’s 155 assessment centres for winter.

The government has faced criticism over the long lines at assessment centres where people have had to wait for hours for a COVID-19 test.

The province has also changed its screening guidance, now saying that only symptomatic people or those in high-risk groups should seek out a test.

— With files from Alanna Rizza and The Canadian Press