Here are the latest developments on the coronavirus pandemic in the Greater Toronto Area for Thursday:
3 teachers walk off job after 26 COVID-19 cases are confirmed at Toronto school
The Toronto District School Board says three teachers from Thorncliffe Park PS have begun the work refusal process on Thursday after dozens of COVID-19 cases were detected.
According to the TDSB’s website, as of Wednesday afternoon, there were 24 cases among students and two cases among staff, with 17 cases resolved.
Last week, hundreds of tests were completed as part of a pilot project from the Ontario government for voluntary COVID-19 testing of students and staff without symptoms in schools.
Status of cases in the GTA
Ontario reported a total of 1,824 new coronavirus cases on Thursday.
Of those:
- 396 were in Toronto
- 592 were in Peel Region
- 187 were in York Region
- 57 were in Durham Region
- 68 were in Halton Region
Ontario reports more than 1,800 new coronavirus cases, uptick due to data processing error
Ontario reported 1,824 new cases of coronavirus on Thursday, a jump in cases due to a data error for one local public health unit, bringing the provincial total to 121,746.
The province notes that due to a data processing error, the 127 cases for Middlesex-London Health Unit is over the last three days which affects the overall case count for Ontario on Thursday.
The death toll in the province has risen to 3,712 as 14 more deaths were reported.
Ontario said 52,873 tests were processed in the last 24 hours. Resolved cases increased by 1,541 from the previous day.
Ontario long-term care homes
According to the Ministry of Long-Term Care, there have been 2,253 deaths reported among residents and patients in long-term care homes across Ontario which is an increase of 14 deaths.
There are 116 current outbreaks in homes, an increase of five from the previous day.
The ministry also indicated there are currently 707 active cases among long-term care residents and 553 active cases among staff — up by 43 cases and up by 36 cases respectively in the last day.
Ontario child care centres and schools
Meanwhile, government figures show there have been a total of 5,146 school-related COVID-19 cases in Ontario — 3,330 among students and 728 among staff (1,088 individuals were not identified). This is an increase of 122 more cases over a 24-hour period.
The COVID-19 cases are currently from 755 out of 4,828 schools in the province. Five schools in Ontario are currently closed as a result of positive cases, the government indicated.
There have been a total of 850 confirmed cases within child care centres and homes — an increase of 17 (11 child cases and six staff cases.) Out of 5,249 child care centres in Ontario, 152 currently have cases and 17 centres are closed.
NOTE: This story will be updated throughout the day.