Coronavirus: Latest developments in the Greater Toronto Area on Feb. 18

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

York Public Health says someone with a confirmed COVID-19 variant case rode the GO Train during “period of communicability.”

The unit said the person travelled the Barrie Line on Feb. 9 and Feb 10 from Rutherford Station in Vaugh to Union Station in Toronto and back on both days.

The person was asymptomatic and wore a mask.

“Given the new provincial guidance for the follow-up of variants of concern, a notification is warranted to assist with contact tracing efforts,” read a statement from York Public Health.

Ontario’s health minister says the province is carefully considering a request from Toronto and Peel Region to delay loosening restrictions in those communities for two weeks.

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Christine Elliott says the province’s top doctor will be looking at new pandemic data today that will inform his recommendation on what should be done for the two COVID-19 hot spots.

The medical officers for Toronto and Peel wrote to Ontario’s chief medical officer of health recently, saying lifting a stay-at-home order and other restrictions next week as the province has planned would lead to more illness and death.

Ontario is reporting 1,038 new coronavirus cases on Thursday, bringing the provincial total to 289,621.

It also brings the daily case count above 1,000 for the first time in five days, although it was also the day with the most tests completed.

The death toll in the province has risen to 6,773 as 44 more deaths were reported.

Resolved cases increased by 1,277 from the previous day. The government said 56,165 tests were processed in the last 24 hours.

Ontario reported a total of 1,038 new cases on Thursday.

Of those:

• 376 were in Toronto
• 142 were in Peel Region
• 122 were in York Region
• 19 were in Durham Region
• 27 were in Halton Region

According to the Ministry of Long-Term Care, there have been 3,730 deaths reported among residents and patients in long-term care homes across Ontario which is an increase of two deaths. Eleven virus-related deaths in total have been reported among staff.

There are 142 current outbreaks in homes, which is a decrease of 13 from the previous day.

The ministry also indicated there are currently 191 active cases among long-term care residents and 323 active cases among staff — down by 19 cases and down by 10 cases, respectively, in the last day.

NOTE: This page will be updated throughout the day.

— With files from The Canadian Press.