Coronavirus: Latest developments in the Greater Toronto Area on Feb. 8

Here are the latest developments on the coronavirus pandemic in the Greater Toronto Area for Monday.

More coronavirus cases confirmed at Toronto meat production facility

Toronto Public Health said they have now confirmed 95 coronavirus cases at the Belmonts Meats facility, including nine confirmed cases of the U.K. variant.

The facility voluntarily closed Jan. 28 and remains closed at this time.

COVID-19 variants, case numbers make reopening Toronto risky: de Villa

Toronto’s top doctor says now is not the time to prepare to ease pandemic restrictions in the city.

Dr. Eileen De Villa says the concerning presence of new, more infectious variants of COVID-19 signals a transition to a “new pandemic.”

She says it’s likely that cases will increase when restrictions are loosened, particularly if the variants become the dominant strains.

COVID-19 vaccines ‘at risk of expiring’ given to family of non-frontline staff at Vaughan LTC home

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A union representing some health-care workers says a registered nurse reported being directed to administer COVID-19 vaccine doses to the family and friends of board members and staff from a not-for-profit Vaughan, Ont., long-term care home.

However, representatives for the Villa Leonardo Gambin (VLG) long-term care home claim the doses were given to family members of non-frontline staff because the vaccines were “at risk of expiring.”

Ontario begins phased reopening Wednesday, majority of regions to remain in lockdown

The Ontario government said the province will begin a phased reopening on Wednesday, however, a majority of regions will remain in lockdown amid the second wave of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Hastings Prince Edward Public Health, Kingston, Frontenac and Lennox & Addington Public Health, and Renfrew County and District Health Unit will move back to the Green-Prevent zone in the original colour-coded framework introduced by the government in November and will no longer fall under the stay-at-home-order.

Status of cases in the GTA

Ontario reported a total of 1,265 new cases on Monday.

Of those:

• 421 were in Toronto
• 256 were in Peel Region
• 130 were in York Region
• 61 were in Durham Region
• 33 were in Halton Region

Ontario reports 1,265 new coronavirus cases, 33 more deaths

Ontario is reporting 1,265 new cases of the coronavirus on Monday, bringing the provincial total to 279,472.

The death toll in the province has risen to 6,538 as 33 more deaths were reported.

Resolved cases increased by 1,700 from the previous day. The government said 28,303 tests were processed in the last 24 hours.

Cases, outbreaks and deaths in Ontario long-term care homes

According to the Ministry of Long-Term Care, there have been 3,669 deaths reported among residents and patients in long-term care homes across Ontario which is an increase of 10 deaths. Eleven virus-related deaths in total have been reported among staff.

There are 213 current outbreaks in homes, which is an increase of five from the previous day.

The ministry also indicated there are currently 494 active cases among long-term care residents and 686 active cases among staff — down by 27 cases and up by two cases, respectively, in the last day.

— With files from The Canadian Press.

NOTE: This story will be updated throughout the day.