Here are the latest developments on the coronavirus pandemic in the Greater Toronto Area for Saturday.
1st suspected variant case connected to Toronto homeless shelter
Toronto officials have announced the first suspect case of a COVID-19 variant linked to a homeless shelter in the city.
In a news release issued Saturday, officials said a COVID-19 case at the Maxwell Meighen Centre in Moss Park has screened positive for a variant of concern and further testing is underway to confirm what type of variant it is.
Officials said there are eight COVID-19 cases at the shelter and all of those who tested positive or were close contacts have been sent to an isolation site.
Further testing for staff and clients is underway.
Ontario health-care workers struggle with burnout as economy poised to reopen
Bracing for impact, front-line workers in Ontario continue providing care as the threat of a third wave of COVID-19 infections looms against the backdrop of an economy poised to reopen.
Restrictions in Ontario are easing up, and in-person schooling in COVID-19 hot spots, including Toronto, York and Peel regions, is slated to resume next week.
While many people are happy about these measures, some health-care workers say it’s too much too soon.
Status of cases in the GTA
Ontario reported a total of 1,300 new cases on Saturday.
Of those:
- 433 were in Toronto
- 210 were in Peel Region
- 116 were in York Region
- 47 were in Durham Region
- 38 were in Halton Region
Ontario reports 1,300 new cases, 19 deaths
With the 1,300 new cases of the novel coronavirus reported Saturday, the total number of cases in Ontario rises to 284,887.
A total of 265,893 COVID-19 cases are considered resolved, which is up by 1,434 and is 93.3 per cent of all confirmed cases.
Nineteen additional deaths were also reported on Saturday, bringing the provincial death toll to 6,651.
Provincial figures showed there are 786 people hospitalized with the virus (up by 23), with 287 in intensive care (down by eight), 203 of whom are on a ventilator (down by one).
Just over 14,500 more COVID-19 vaccine doses administered
As of 8 p.m. Friday, 456,947 COVID-19 vaccine doses have been administered in Ontario, which is up by 14,506.
So far, 164,307 people have received both required doses of either the Pfizer or Moderna vaccines.
— With files from Katherine Ward