Coronavirus: Latest developments in the Greater Toronto Area on March 9

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

A North York Catholic elementary schools will be temporarily shut down due to a COVID-19 outbreak, says the Toronto Catholic District School Board.

St. Francis Xavier, located on Gracefield Avenue, has 11 confirmed cases.

According to a tweet from Toronto Public Health, it recommended the closure of the school “as a result of an ongoing COVID-19 investigation.”

Brampton Transit says service will be affected on some routes for at least one week due to a COVID-19 investigation.

In a news release issued Tuesday evening, officials said service will be suspended to the Steeles West Corridor.

Affected routes include 511 Zum Steeles, and 11 Steeles with the last stop serviced at Steeles Avenue and Chinguacousy Road.

The 51 Hereford route will also be affected, with the last stop at Steeles Avenue and Financial Drive.

Ontario’s health minister says some residents will soon be able to book COVID-19 vaccine appointments at more than 300 pharmacies in three regions.

Christine Elliott said that the province is expecting to receive 190,000 doses of the Oxford-AstraZeneca vaccine on Tuesday and added that eligible residents will be able to book appointments as of Friday to receive their shots.

The vaccines, some of which are set to expire in early April, are being distributed to pharmacies in Toronto, Windsor-Essex, and Kingston. That’s being done as part of a pilot project and Elliott said it will help ensure they are administered in a timely manner.

Ontarians will have to book their COVID-19 vaccinations through different websites depending on where they live, the government said Tuesday, as critics questioned the province’s readiness for a ramp up in immunizations.

At least six public health units will continue using individual booking systems that started taking appointments while a provincial portal remains under development, the government said. The provincewide site is set to go live on March 15.

2:17 Doctors raise concerns over Phase 2 of Ontario’s COVID-19 vaccination plan

A joint letter from senior scientists from a number of major health institutions is raising questions about a plan to delay second doses of COVID-19 vaccinations by four months.

A draft of the letter obtained by Global News from an Ontario government source highlighted the unknowns surrounding the plan and the thoroughness of it.

Ontario reported a total of 1,185 new coronavirus cases on Tuesday.

Of those:

• 343 were in Toronto
• 235 were in Peel Region
• 105 were in York Region
• 81 were in Hamilton

2:11 Toronto doctor launches COVID-19 immunity app

Ontario reported 1,185 cases of the novel coronavirus Tuesday morning, bringing the total number of cases in the province to 311,112.

According to Tuesday’s provincial report, 343 cases were recorded in Toronto, 235 in Peel Region, 105 in York Region, and 81 in Hamilton.

All other local public health units reported fewer than 50 new cases in the provincial report.

A total of 292,806 COVID-19 cases are considered resolved, which is up by 872 from the previous day.

— With files from Travis Dhanraj and The Canadian Press