Here are the latest developments on the coronavirus pandemic in the Greater Toronto Area for Monday.
South African variant found in Mississauga
The Ontario government has announced the province’s first known case of the South African coronavirus variant and officials say there is no known link to travel.
Dr. David Williams, the province’s chief medical officer of health, said Monday afternoon that the case — which is still under investigation — involves a resident in Peel Region who hasn’t recently travelled or come into contact with someone who has travelled.
In a news release, Peel Public Health said the case involves a man living in Mississauga who is recovering at home.
U.K. variant detected in 2 cases connected to Toronto outbreak
Toronto Public Health is reporting that at least two out of 78 COVID-19 cases at a Toronto meat production facility have been identified as being from the U.K. coronavirus variant strain.
According to an update released Monday afternoon, officials said there are currently 78 confirmed COVID-19 cases as part of an outbreak at Belmont Meats on Signet Drive near Highway 400 and Steeles Avenue West.
Public health staff said two of the cases linked to the outbreak were confirmed to have screened positive for the B.1.1.7 variant.
“There is also evidence of secondary transmission of the variant in household member cases associated with an employee of the workplace,” the statement said.
“At this time, there is no indication that any cases identified in the outbreak had recently travelled or had contact with a person who travelled recently.”
Mandatory COVID-19 testing of international travellers in effect at Toronto Pearson Airport
International travellers will now have to take a COVID-19 test upon arrival in Ontario in a bid to stop contagious new variants of the virus from further infiltrating the province.
The testing order came into effect Monday at Toronto’s Pearson International Airport, and will also eventually apply to the province’s land border crossings to the United States.
68 construction workers from ‘The Well’ project on Front Street test positive for coronavirus
Ontario’s Ministry of Labour, Training and Skills Development tells Global News that 68 workers on “The Well” project have tested positive for coronavirus between Dec. 27, 2020 and Jan. 29.
The construction project is taking place in downtown Toronto on Front Street West. The ministry said it initially received 12 occupational illness notifications.
“The employer has told us that rapid tests, provided by MLTSD (the labour ministry), have been deployed at the site to help prevent the spread of COVID-19,” a ministry spokesperson said.
Federal government provides another $381M to Ontario education
The Ontario government announced it has received the next installment from the federal government of $381 million under the province’s Safe Return to Class Fund on Monday.
The money will go toward hiring more staff, increasing health and safety measures, support for students in remote learning and more financial flexibility for school boards.
Ontario Education Minister Stephen Lecce made the announcement from Queen’s Park. However, when asked whether students from hot spot areas (Toronto, Peel, York, Hamilton and Windsor-Essex) would be returning to in-class learning Feb. 10, Lecce would not confirm.
He later said the announcement would be made Wednesday.
Status of cases in the GTA
Ontario reported a total of 1,969 new cases on Monday.
Of those:
- 886 were in Toronto
- 330 were in Peel Region
- 128 were in York Region
- 90 were in Durham Region
- 55 were in Halton Region
Ontario reports under 2,000 cases, 36 more deaths
Ontario is reporting 1,969 cases of the coronavirus on Monday, bringing the provincial total to 270,180.
“As Toronto Public Health migrates to the provincial data system, CCM, additional records were reported for Toronto Public Health today, resulting in an overestimate of the daily counts,” government officials said.
The death toll in the province has risen to 6,224 as 36 more deaths were reported.
Resolved cases increased by 2,132 from the previous day. The government said 30,359 tests were processed in the last 24 hours.
— With files from The Canadian Press
- ‘The craving is just not there’: How Ozempic is affecting snacking culture
- ‘Running into roadblocks’: Canadian family fights to get care for daughter with epilepsy
- Remote work and how it’s shaping where people are now buying homes in Ontario
- Code critical: N.S. woman commutes 5 hours to see her family doctor to avoid a waitlist
Comments